Origins of rock and roll roll was set by disc jockey Alan Freed's use of the term in his groundbreaking "The Rock and Roll Show" on New York's WINS in late 1954, as well as at his "Rock and Roll Jubilee Balls" at St. Nicholas Arena in January 1955, they chose to judge their candidates according to the music Freed spotlighted: R&B combos, black vocal groups, honking saxophonists, blues belters, and several white artists playing in the authentic R&B style (Bill Haley, Elvis Presley). The artists who appeared at Freed's earliest shows included orchestra leader Buddy Johnson, the Clovers, Fats Domino, Big Joe Turner, the
Rock & Roll Band record contract before their first live gig." Billy Baker of the "Boston Globe" called "Rock and Roll Band" "one of the biggest rock anthems of the 1970s." Scott Tady of "Beaver County Times" described "Rock and Roll Band," "Smokin'" and Boston's first four singles as having "helped set the foundation for classic-rock radio." "Boston Globe"'s Sarah Rodman credited "Rock and Roll Band" as one of the songs that helped drive sales of "Boston" to over 17 million copies. "The New Rolling Stone Album Guide" called "Rock and Roll Band" a "cleaned-up boogey ["sic"] crowd pleaser..." Jamie Reno of "San Diego"