June 2005 > Americana > Rock Memorabilia
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Lot 68: 1950's Alan Freed Early Rock 'n' Roll Tour Programs (4)
ITEM DESCRIPTION
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Tremendous geyser of four hard-to-find programs from Alan Freed rock tours of the mid and late '50s. Freed, who as a DJ in Cleveland and New York coined the phrase rock and roll (or actually borrowed it from old R&B musicians' jargon for sex), was pivotal in spreading "race music" to a mainstream audience on these tours of the hinterlands. The "Biggest In Person Show of '56" program is one of the oldest ones extant, but the others as well -- two "Christmas Jubilee" programs ('57, '58) and the "Easter Jubilee" ('59) -- are dazzling rock relics. All programs are 9 x 12" with colorful covers filled with acts like Chuck Berry, the Moonglows, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, the Platters and Fats Domino, and Freed himself on all but the first one. Tellingly, the '56 show was nearly all black (save for Bill Haley), but became mostly white by '59, when pop idols like Bobby Darin and Fabian were the big draws. Programs are EX with scattered damage along the edges. Hail hail rock and roll, and Alan Freed!
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