City touts music pioneer

Some people have shied away from the disc jockey's past.
By D.A. WILKINSON
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
SALEM -- The bicentennial has kicked off efforts to draw more attention to the life and times of native Alan Freed, who created the phrase rock 'n' roll.
The ongoing bicentennial included a four-hour rock 'n' roll concert Sunday afternoon at Waterworth Memorial Park. Later, members of the Salem Historical Society discussed their efforts to promote Freed, who graduated from Salem High School in 1940.
As a disc jockey who called himself "Moondog," Freed brought black rhythms into popular music. As a promoter, he held what is believed to be the nation's first rock 'n' roll concert in Cleveland in 1952. He was in the first group of inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland.
The Salem Historical Society has prepared a new brochure that includes a guide to the homes where Freed lived and information about his career. The brochures were distributed during the concert.
David Stratton, society president, and Nick Bush, who is involved in the plan, say it may take a year or two to decide how to better highlight Freed's life and times.
Bush said that with all the information available about Freed, he realized, "it could be something for the future."
When Bush returned from a weekend program about Freed and mentioned him, "There were a lot of blank stares," he said.
Famous and infamous
But Freed was huge -- and controversial -- in his day. Some of his concerts got out hand, he was accused of taking payoffs to promote some artists, and he was fined for taking a commercial bribe. He died in Palm Springs. Calif., in 1965, attributed in part to heavy drinking.
Stratton said some people have viewed Freed as a criminal and shied away from his legacy. The brochure quotes Freed's brother, David, as saying, "Alan wanted to be noticed, and always said that he wanted to live fast, die young and make a good-looking corpse."
Despite his dark side, Freed also had values that were in line with Salem's anti-slavery past.
Stratton said that in writing for the high school newspaper, Freed talked about which popular musicians he would include in a band. Many of them were black.
"He didn't look at color," said Stratton. What Freed looked at, Stratton added, was the talent of the musician.
And Freed was certainly the small-town boy who made good. Freed came to the city's Sesquicentennial and put an autographed copy of his song, "Sincerely" into the time capsule. At the time, the movie "Rock Around the Clock" -- in which Freed played himself -- was playing at the Salem State Theater.
Stratton said that Freed signed the music as "Allan," apparently to be consistent with the printed name on the music. Freed generally used Alan, although his real name was Albert.
Preserving the legacy
Plans for a Freed festival as part of the bicentennial were toned down to the rock concert.
Stratton said he doesn't know if someone or some group will buy one of the homes where Freed lived in Salem and turn it into a museum similar to the homestead of renowned artist Charles Burchfield.
Those involved in the plan say they expect some sort of nonprofit corporation would be created to continue to promote Freed's legacy.
Audrey Null, executive director of Salem Area Chamber of Commerce, said promoting Freed may be as simple as connecting his legacy to the car cruises that have been associated with the bicentennial.
wilkinson@vindy.com