Tommy Smalls
Encyclopedia
Tommy Smalls known as Dr. Jive, was an influential African-American radio
disc jockey
in New York
during the early days of rock and roll
.
, he attended Savannah State College, and, after a period in the US Coast Guard, became the first black disc jockey in Savannah in 1947 on radio station WSAV
. In 1952 he moved to New York, and became the original "Dr. Jive" on radio station WWRL
. His weekday afternoon radio shows - with the slogan "Sit back and relax and enjoy the wax / From three-oh-five to five-three-oh, it's the Dr. Jive show" - became popular with teenagers and featured vocal groups, blues, rock and roll and Latin music. In 1955 he began to present live rhythm and blues
revues from the Rockland Palace and the Apollo Theater
, and in November 1955 presented an unprecedented 12 minute segment on the nationally-networked Ed Sullivan Show featuring Bo Diddley
, LaVern Baker
, the Five Keys, and Willis "Gator Tail" Jackson. By the end of 1955, he had purchased the Smalls Paradise club in Harlem
, and in May 1956 he was elected to the unofficial post of "Mayor of Harlem", with a parade held through the town in his honor.
In the late 1950s, he married teen model Dolores De Vega, who years later in 2009, appeared on the TV Land
series, "She's Got the Look
." Their first child, a son, was born in October 1959. They also had three daughters.
In 1960, Smalls, along with fellow disc jockey Alan Freed
, was arrested and charged in the "payola
" scandal, when both were accused of taking bribes to play records on their radio shows, and his radio career ended. He later became promotions manager for Polydor Records
in New York. He was also one of the founding members of the National Association of TV and Radio Announcers (NATRA).
He died after a long illness in New York City on March 8, 1972, aged 45.
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
during the early days of rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
.
Life and career
Born Thomas Smalls in Savannah, GeorgiaSavannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, he attended Savannah State College, and, after a period in the US Coast Guard, became the first black disc jockey in Savannah in 1947 on radio station WSAV
WBMQ
WBMQ is a news/talk formatted radio station located in Savannah, Georgia.-History:Originally known as WSAV-AM, the station operated 250 Watts fulltime on 1340 kHz, then jumped to 5,000 Watts day and night on 630 kHz , when the NARBA shift took effect...
. In 1952 he moved to New York, and became the original "Dr. Jive" on radio station WWRL
WWRL
WWRL is a radio station in New York City, broadcasting at 1600 kHz AM owned by Access.1 Communications. Since September 1, 2006, its format has been progressive talk radio...
. His weekday afternoon radio shows - with the slogan "Sit back and relax and enjoy the wax / From three-oh-five to five-three-oh, it's the Dr. Jive show" - became popular with teenagers and featured vocal groups, blues, rock and roll and Latin music. In 1955 he began to present live rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
revues from the Rockland Palace and the Apollo Theater
Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous, and older, music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with Black performers...
, and in November 1955 presented an unprecedented 12 minute segment on the nationally-networked Ed Sullivan Show featuring Bo Diddley
Bo Diddley
Ellas Otha Bates , known by his stage name Bo Diddley, was an American rhythm and blues vocalist, guitarist, songwriter , and inventor...
, LaVern Baker
LaVern Baker
LaVern Baker was an American rhythm and blues singer, who had several hit records on the pop chart in the 1950s and early 1960s. Her most successful records were "Tweedlee Dee" , "Jim Dandy" , and "I Cried a Tear" .-Early life:She was born Delores LaVern Baker in Chicago, Illinois...
, the Five Keys, and Willis "Gator Tail" Jackson. By the end of 1955, he had purchased the Smalls Paradise club in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
, and in May 1956 he was elected to the unofficial post of "Mayor of Harlem", with a parade held through the town in his honor.
In the late 1950s, he married teen model Dolores De Vega, who years later in 2009, appeared on the TV Land
TV Land
TV Land is an American cable television network launched on April 29, 1996. It is owned by MTV Networks, a division of Viacom, which also owns Paramount Pictures, and networks such as MTV and Nickelodeon...
series, "She's Got the Look
She's Got the Look
She's Got the Look is a reality series created for and aired on TV Land. Hosted by model Kim Alexis, twenty women compete to become the next great supermodel 35 years or older. Celebrity judges, Robert Verdi, Sean Patterson and Rosumba Williams whittle down the cast of twenty until they find the...
." Their first child, a son, was born in October 1959. They also had three daughters.
In 1960, Smalls, along with fellow disc jockey Alan Freed
Alan Freed
Albert James "Alan" Freed , also known as Moondog, was an American disc-jockey. He became internationally known for promoting the mix of blues, country and rhythm and blues music on the radio in the United States and Europe under the name of rock and roll...
, was arrested and charged in the "payola
Payola
Payola, in the American music industry, is the illegal practice of payment or other inducement by record companies for the broadcast of recordings on music radio, in which the song is presented as being part of the normal day's broadcast. Under U.S...
" scandal, when both were accused of taking bribes to play records on their radio shows, and his radio career ended. He later became promotions manager for Polydor Records
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
in New York. He was also one of the founding members of the National Association of TV and Radio Announcers (NATRA).
He died after a long illness in New York City on March 8, 1972, aged 45.