Alan Freed

Alan Freed was an influential American disc jockey in the 1950s, credited with popularizing the term "rock and roll" to describe the emerging genre of energetic, rhythm-driven music. He helped break down racial barriers by promoting African American artists to wider audiences, making his shows pivotal in the genre's growth. Freed organized some of the first major rock and roll concerts, contributing to the genre's rise in mainstream culture. However, his career ended when he was implicated in a payola scandal involving illegal payments to promote records, which led to his tarnished reputation despite his significant role in music history.