You May not Know Freddy Bell, but he inspired modern music. Here's how

I’ve been listening to the “History of Rock in 500 songs” podcast for over a year. The host, Andrew Hickey does a lot of research and his analysis of events is pretty believable. His storytelling ability is a plus. This is one of the best podcasts out there. 

He did a show on the song  “Matchbox” by Eddie Cochran. In that show he talked about the 1950s rock movies that Alan Freed produced. In an era with no YouTube, there was no way to see the acts you heard on the radio. Not everyone can go to every concert out there. Once upon a time people listened to radio for music, not crabby old men yell at each other.  

The Allen Freed movies had simple plots and modest budgets. It was the way to see rock acts you heard but not saw.

There was “Rock Around the Clock” starring Alan Freed, Bill Haley and the Comets and The Platters. Freddie Bell and the Bellboys were also cast. Freddie Bell isn’t mentioned the same paragraph as Bill Haley in any other way at any other time. 

Freddie Bell was born in Pennsylvania and learned music as a child. He performed the usual 1950s’ pop songs and eventually veered toward rock n roll. His band played the Silver Lounge at the Sands Casino in the 1950s. The Sands was the usual site to find Frank Sinatra and Rat Pack performers. Those shows were so successful that the casino had acts play the lounge. The lounge was also the first place to see future acts. Freddie Bell never had big national hits so I don’t know how he got on Alan Freed’s radar to cast for a movie. “Rock Around the Clock” was a successful movie and it gave Bill Haley a boost in sales. A tour of Europe was arranged and Freddie Bell and the Bellboys were part of that. 

While Freddie Bell wasn’t a star in his own rights, he inspired other artists. Elvis Presley did a series of shows in Las Vegas in 1956 and it wasn’t considered successful. One day he stopped at the Silver Lounge and watched Freddie perform. Bell’s version of Lieber and Stollers’ “Hound Dog” caught Elvis’ ear. They did more of a parody of the song. Presley would use Freddie’s version as a template for his version. Presley took away the parody but kept the speed and power. This is even mentioned in Freddie’s obituary. 

Another thing that makes Freddie Bell memorable is that tour of Europe. Young British musicians that heard American songs finally saw an American act. Bell inspired the youth of England that would later make up the 1960s British Invasion. The young heard these American bands, but few traveled to Europe. Those stars that did travel became beloved. Bill Haley had a career resurrection years after his American hits stopped. Freddie Bell became popular there.

Freddie would play Las Vegas for the next few decades. 

Ok so he wasn’t a superstar but he performed for the rest of his life. 

He had steady work as a musician. 

He inspired others. 

Isn’t that what any musician could want?