Alan Freed’s son looks for new resting place after remains removed from Rock 

Hall

CLEVELAND – The king of the rock ‘n rollers left the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and

Museum on Monday.

Alan Freed helped define a generation but his remains were escorted out of the world famous

museum by his son, Lance Freed.

“I don’t feel it’s appropriate, but I don’t run the place,” said his son, who carried the rn from

the museum.

Alan Freed’s urn was on display for the past 12 years but, according to Lance, he suddenly

got a call to come and pick them up.

“We went back-and-forth on this idea of why are we leaving? Why after 12 years? We felt

this was going to be his final resting place and an appropriate one, in a house that he helped

build,” said Freed’s son.

Greg Harris from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame said the decision is about telling the story

of rock and roll by focusing on the impact of music through artifacts and not ashes.

“The decision was made because, frankly, it’s a fundamental question, should human remains

be on exhibit inside a museum?” said Harris.

Freed was a pioneer who ruled the radio in the 1950s as a DJ in Cleveland where he created

the Moondog Coronation Ball. He also had great success outside of Cleveland, but this was

always home. Freed was so important to the founders of the Rock Hall that he was inducted in

the first class in 1986.

“We are returning the remains to the family, but we are not reducing Alan Freed’s footprint in

the museum,” said Harris. “He has a significant amount of space; in fact, he has more space in

the museum than the Beatles.”

Freed’s microphone now sits where the ashes were on display near several additional tributes.

To his son, it was the perfect ‘final’ resting place but now he’s trying a find a new home for

his dad.  Freed died from kidney failure in 1965 when he was 43 years old.

According to his son, Lance, he’d probably have something to say about these recent events.

“Well, fellas, this isn’t the first place I’ve been thrown out of, but it’s the first time I’ve ever

been thrown out of my own house,” said Lance Freed.

Lance lives in Los Angeles but he said the remains will stay in Cleveland but he isn’t sure of

an exact location.  He also claimed the Rock Hall will be moving – and possibly downsizing –

the Freed display inside the building but a spokesperson denied that claim.