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Rhythm & Blues

Despite racial prejudice & segregation, white people listened to black music. As proof, look at the following grosses for a variety of black artists in 1944:

Cab Calloway Orchestra $750,000/yr
Duke Ellington $600,000/yr
Ink Spots $500,000/yr
Count Basie Orchestra $1350-1750 ... per one-nighter!!

Late Night Radio Shows

a la Letterman or Leno (albeit, without the visuals)
- allowed white teens to hear R&B
- these "cool" individuals called themselves "cats"

DJs--all it took to become a disc jockey was a sponsor & an idea for the (15-30 minute) show ... anyone could host a program!!

music & commercials

Top DJs on AM Radio
Alan Freed	Murray the K	Wolfman Jack

Alan Freed

classical show on WJW in Cleveland
classically trained musician (Wagner fan)
"The Moondog Show" (6/51) late night show w/nothing but "Negro music"
concert promotion--if kids loved listening to the music, they'd go WILD seeing it live; called the result "Moondog Balls"—racially integrated events
7/55--moved his show to WINS in NYC--R&B goes "Big Time"
1962—enmeshed in the payola scandal; pleaded guilty to two counts of commercial bribery (fined $300 w/6-month suspended sentence)
1964—IRS indicted him for unreported income
1/2/65—died at age 43; physically & financially drained

Freed with Little Richard & Bill Haley