Origins of rock and roll "Rock and Roll" Harris. These songs were generally classed as "race music" or, from the late 1940s, "rhythm and blues", and were barely known by mainstream white audiences. However, in 1951, Cleveland disc jockey Alan Freed began broadcasting rhythm, blues, and country music for a multi-racial audience. Freed, familiar with the music of earlier decades, used the phrase rock and roll to describe the music he aired over station WJW (850 AM); its use also is credited to Freed's sponsor, record store owner Leo Mintz, who encouraged Freed to play the music on the radio. Originally Freed used the name
God Gave Rock and Roll to You under the title "Final Solo". "God Gave Rock and Roll to You II" would also be included on the Kiss album "Alive III", which was released in 1993. God Gave Rock and Roll to You "God Gave Rock and Roll to You" is a 1973 song by the British band Argent and covered by both Petra, in 1977 and 1984, and Kiss in 1991, both with modified lyrics. Argent recorded the song in 1971 during the sessions for their album "All Together Now", but it originally did not appear as an album track until 1973's "In Deep", and was released