I loved Jack Cafferty's tribute to Dick Clark.

[Graybeard]

On CNN just now Candy Crowley reporting the passing of Dick Clark interviewed Anderson Cooper and others. The most moving was Jack Cafferty and I hope CNN repeats it later tonight.

Cafferty told of how important it was for black artists to appear on American Bandstand. In the viscously racist 1950s their music was never played by mainstream DJs. Never.

[teddy51]

1. That's one person on CNN that I have always liked and respected. He tells it like it is and

doesn't give a crap who likes it or not.

[DianaForRussFeingold]

2. Truly Great tribute! K&R

I looked for the Jack Cafferty clip but it wasn't available..


Here is the tribute at the CNN web site:
http://www.cnn.com/video/

[DianaForRussFeingold]

3. Oh good, they posted the clip at CNN

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/bestoftv/2012/04/18/exp-tsr-cafferty-dick-clark.cnn

[Graybeard]

7. Thanks for the link. n/t

[DianaForRussFeingold]

9. Oh, You're Welcome And Thank You!

[cynatnite]

15. Thank you. I've been wanting to see this. n/t

[dogknob]

4. Clark got the credit after he sold Alan Freed to the feds...

Freed was the only mainstream DJ playing black artists until the payola scandal. Dick capitalized on racism, saved his own ass and cleared a space for himself at the same time even though he was as guilty of payola as anyone else.

POS.

[Va Lefty]

5. Never heard or read that Clark "sold Alan Freed to the feds..."

the rest of what you posted is true except for your final conclusion. I wouldn't say his actions qualify him as a POS.

"Why did the committee single him out? Freed was abrasive. He consorted with black R&B musicians. He jive talked, smoked constantly and looked like an insomniac. Clark was squeaky clean, Brylcreemed, handsome and polite. At least on the surface. Once the grilling started, Freed’s friends and allies in broadcasting quickly deserted him."

http://performingsongwriter.com/alan-freed-payola-scandal/

http://www.history-of-rock.com/payola.htm

[kskiska]

8. Absolutely!

I lived through that era and witnessed how Freed was thrown to the wolves and Clark walked. Clark was instrumental in "cleaning up" rock & roll by squeezing out Black performers, replacing them with cute White guys he discovered in Philadelphia - Bobby Rydell, Fabian, & Frankie Avalon. Clark usually played White "covers" of hits by Blacks.

[dogknob]

10. Thank you!

Marc Eliot's book "Rockonomics" tells the story very well. It's a bit dated now, as it was written in the early 90s.

Having worked in the music biz, I can tell you that Payola rolled right along after the "scandal." With the consolidation of media outlets, it has gotten even bigger today. It is openly discussed. It is budgeted for when a major label promotes an artist.

[kskiska]

11. Another book

is John A. Jackson's "Big Beat Heat, (1991)" about Alan Freed and the early years of rock & roll.

Here's an interesting 1973 Rolling Stone interview with Dick Clark. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/dick-clark-20-years-of-clearasil-rock-20120418

[Bake]

12. Then why so many tributes to Clark from black artists?

Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder come to mind, as I just saw this morning on CNN. Aretha credits DC for making her a star. Berry Gordy says without DC, there would have been NO Motown.

Bake

[kskiska]

13. That was much later.

After the 50s Clark's rivals had been disposed of and the civil rights era was changing the landscape. Read the books.

[Bake]

14. I would posit that DC contributed to the civil rights movement

By promoting black artists and making many of them stars AND acceptable to white audiences.

A lot of crap happened in the 50s. I think DC was one of the good guys.

Bake

[underpants]

6. Music and the ultra-objective area of sports was an important part of the civil rights movement