On This day in 1958 Billboard ran an article attacking the practice of accepting money to play certain records on the radio. The term used was ‘payola’ a combination of ‘pay’ and ‘victrola’ (Victrola was a line of phonographs originally introduced by RCA Victor in 1906 that continued until 1970).

The article went on to say “payola, that under-the-turntable device whereby record companies win plugs and influence disc jockeys, is fast growing into a monster that may yet destroy its creators. According to key record execs, jockey payola is so widespread that it’s no longer possible to measure its effectiveness.”

The scandal would grow and ultimately it would destroy the career of the most famous DJ of them all Alan Freed. Strangely, although the practice was rife Freed was the only high profile DJ that was prosecuted. In November 1959 he was served with a subpoena to appear in front of the New York DA.

He was asked by WABC, for whom he worked, to sign a statement that he had not been paid to play plug records. In response Freed said that he had only received money for acting as a consultant for various parties, not for pluging records. He was sacked both his radio and TV shows.

I have some sympathy for Freed. He was a scapegoat, especially when you remember that he was charged with something that was not illegal until 1960 although his offences happened in 1959. When the trial came to court Freed pleaded guilty to 26 charges and was fined $300 with a suspended sentence. Hardly a huge penalty but his career was ruined. He died in 1965 broke, unemployed and suffering from cirrhosis of the liver.

On the other hand, some of the practices at the time were very suspect. For example, Freed had co-writing credits on ‘Mayballene’ the Chuck Berry song, he never had a hand in writing it. The point is that as co-writer he received royalties from plays and sales. That gave rise to a conflict of interest for him. To play it (and others) on his very popular show or not?

Obviously, there is no questionable methods used to promote songs or artists these days……………..

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The Stones made their TV debut this day in 1963 on Thank Your Lucky Stars playing their first single C’mon.

It may come a surprise to some of the younger readers that The Stones were once a rock and blues band playing blues covers. Their first album, imaginatively titled The Rolling Stones featured songs by Bobby Troup (Route 66), Willie Dixon (I Just Want to Make Love to You), Jimmy Reed, Bo Diddly, Skip James, and Rufus Thomas.

It all goes to reinforce my view that without the Blues we would have no Rock or Jazz.

This is the magnificent Carol Barnes with Route 66….

The epitome of Blues The incredible Muddy.

Rufus walking his pet in the 60s

The Stones take their turn

Imitation is the greatest form of flattery. I am not knocking the Stones, we all build on the shoulders of those that went before. I just think that we do not laud those that went before enough.

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