Al Benson facts for kids

Arthur Bernard Leaner (born June 30, 1908 – died September 6, 1978) was a very important American radio DJ. He was also a music promoter and owned a record label. He was active in Chicago from the 1940s to the 1960s.

Al Benson was especially known for helping to make rhythm and blues music popular. He also helped Black people get more involved in the music industry in Chicago. He was the first Black radio personality to earn a very high salary. People called him the "Godfather of Black Radio." He was also a minister and played a big part in the Civil Rights Movement in Chicago. In 2017, he was honored by being added to the Blues Hall of Fame.

Who Was Al Benson?

Early Life and Radio Start

Al Benson was born in Jackson, Mississippi. When he was a child, he learned tap dancing with his father's jazz band. He performed in vaudeville shows, which were popular stage shows. In 1923, he moved to Chicago with his parents.

In Chicago, he started a church. He also worked many different jobs, like being a cook. He became involved in local politics with Congressman William Dawson. In 1943, as Rev. Arthur Leaner, he started broadcasting sermons and gospel music on radio station WGES.

Becoming "Al Benson" and Gaining Popularity

In 1945, he began a new weekly show on WGES. For this show, he used the name Al Benson. A pseudonym is a fake name someone uses for their work. On this show, he could advertise products, which was different from his religious program. He called himself "the Old Swingmaster" on the radio.

Within two years, he was broadcasting for twenty hours a week. He was on WGES and WJJD. In 1948, he was voted the most popular DJ in Chicago. The next year, he was chosen as the honorary "Mayor of Bronzeville." Bronzeville was a well-known African-American neighborhood in Chicago. He won this title for several years in a row. This showed how much people in the Black community loved him.

His huge popularity came from how he spoke. He used everyday language and had a strong Southern accent. Many people who had moved to Chicago from the South during the Great Migration could relate to him. He also played many blues and rhythm and blues songs. These songs were often ignored by other radio stations.

Changing Radio for Black Artists

Al Benson helped change radio for Black people. He once said that it was very hard for Black people to get into radio in the 1940s. He wanted to be himself on air. He used slang that Black people were used to. This helped his listeners feel like he was "one of us."

Another DJ, Lucky Cordell, explained that Benson played music that people wanted to hear. No one else was playing the blues by artists like Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters. Benson played these songs and made people happy. It's thought that about 70% of the Black population listened to him.

By 1950, Al Benson was broadcasting ten hours a day on three stations. These were WGES, WJJD, and WAAF. He became very popular with advertisers. He was known for being a great salesman. His ability to influence what records people bought gave him a lot of power in the local music industry. People said he "revolutionized Chicago's Black radio programming." He was a main reason why many independent Black record companies grew. These companies featured rhythm and blues and gospel artists.

Helping Musicians and Community

In the early 1950s, Al Benson also helped start record labels. These included Parrot, Blue Lake, and Old Swing-Master. These labels helped meet the growing demand for blues and R&B music. They recorded famous musicians like T-Bone Walker, J.B. Lenoir, Sunnyland Slim, Albert King, and Willie Mabon. Later, in the 1960s, they recorded artists like Magic Sam.

When he was most popular in the 1950s, he had regular television shows. He also helped organize many rock and roll and R&B concerts in Chicago. He encouraged younger Black DJs to follow his lead. He also owned a newspaper, a record shop, a restaurant, and a clothing store. Most of his employees at these businesses were African-American.

Later Life and Legacy

Even though music tastes changed, Al Benson stayed active in the Civil Rights Movement. He worked to make sure that nightclubs allowed Black customers. In 1956, he even hired a plane to drop 5,000 copies of the United States Bill of Rights over Mississippi. This was to show support for civil rights.

Benson stopped broadcasting in 1963. He returned to being a pastor for a while. He kept some of his business interests. He passed away in Berrien Springs, Michigan, in 1978, at 70 years old.

Al Benson left behind his wife, Norma Jean, and two daughters, Arleta Leaner (Parker) and Bertina Leaner (Clark). Arleta followed in her father's footsteps and worked in radio and television. In 2017, he was nominated for the Blues Hall of Fame. The next year, he was officially added as an inductee for his work in business, production, and media.

Bands He Produced

Al Benson helped produce music for several bands. These included:

• The Parrots, who were the first group he produced.
• The Pelicans, known for their songs "Aurelia" and "White Cliffs of Dover" in 1953.
• Many other groups and artists.

See also

• African American firsts
• Hal Jackson
• Doctor Hep Cat
• DJ Nat D.
• Yvonne Daniels
• Daddy-O Daylie
• Jocko Henderson
• Jockey Jack/Jack the Rapper
• Black-appeal stations
• WERD
• Glossary of jive talk
• Jive talk