WABC radio fired DJ Alan Freed on November 21, 1959 after
he refused to sign a FCC statement denying that he had
accepted money for promoting records, a practice known
as "payola."
While WABC cited its "contractual right to terminate," the
dismissal happened amid a larger payola scandal that
ultimately ruined his career.
Albert James "Alan" Freed
(December 15, 1921 – January 20, 1965)
Joe Gearing at radio station WLEU.
In 1955, Joe was Erie’s only all night dj. There was a Sunday
feature article on him in the Erie Times on Sunday May, 29,
1955. Joe worked at WLEU, which later became WWGO and
others, from October 1954 to July 1958. By the end of the 60’s,
Joe shifted his attention to becoming a talk show host, working
at many southwestern PA radio stations, including KDKA and
WJAS in Pittsburgh.
Joe Gearing (1934 – 2015) Photo taken in 2006.
In addition to his radio career, Gearing once served as a magistrate.
From left: Disc jockey Dewey Phillips, Wink Martindale
and Elvis Presley.
1964
Winston Conrad "Wink" Martindale
(December 4, 1933 – April 15, 2025)
(FOX NEWS) – Martindale, who was surrounded by family,
including his wife Sandra, at the time of his death, had a 74-
year career in Hollywood, hosting a number of game shows
such as "Tic-Tac-Dough," "High Rollers" and "Gambit." He
was also a radio personality and a close friend of Elvis Presley.
In 2019, Martindale told Fox News Digital he "met Elvis Presley
on a hot July night in 1954." In 1956, Martindale was hosting
"Teenage Dance Party" when Presley made an appearance.
Martindale died from lymphoma at a hospital in Rancho Mirage, California. He was 91.
Interesting note: Martindale had a few dogs named after the
various game shows he hosted.
1959
On March 21, 1952, Cleveland, Ohio hosted an event now
recognized as history’s first major rock-and-roll show…
the Moondog Coronation Ball.
Breathless promotion on the local radio station. Tickets
selling out in a single day. Thousands of teenagers,
hours before show time, lining up outside the biggest
venue in town.
The scene outside the Cleveland Arena on a chilly Friday
night in March would look quite familiar to anyone who
has ever attended a major rock concert. But no one on
this particular night had ever even heard of a “rock
concert” before.
The “Moondog” in question was the legendary disk jockey
Alan Freed, the self-styled “father of rock and roll” who
was then the host of the enormously popular “Moondog
Show” on Cleveland AM radio station WJW.
The Tri-States lost a local radio icon Thursday after
Dennis Oliver passed away at the age of 69 after a
battle with Alzheimer’s Disease for several years.
The Pittsfield native entertained the Tri-States for
40 years and touched the lives of many.
