Hunter Hancock

Hunter Hancock (1916-2004) is name-checked on the cover of "Freak Out!" (1966) under the heading "These People Have Contributed Materially In Many Ways To Make Our Music What It Is. Please Do Not Hold It Against Them".

Widely regarded as one of the first radio disc jockeys in the western United States to broadcast rhythm and blues records and later rock 'n' roll.

He was known on the air as "Ol' H.H." and was heard from 1943 to 1968 on a number of stations. He hosted popular radio shows, including "Harlem Holiday", "Harlematinee", "Huntin' With Hunter" and the gospel show "Songs of Soul and Spirit". He also appeared briefly on KCBS-TV in 1955 with the Friday night show "Rhythm and Bluesville".

For several years Hancock's shows rated No. 1 among black listeners in Southern California. In 1950, the Los Angeles Sentinel newspaper rated Hancock the most popular DJ in Los Angeles among blacks. As a result, black and white people alike who attended concerts where Hancock was the master of ceremonies were often surprised to discover he was white.