Al Benson

American disc jockey

Also known as: Yo’ Ol’ Swingmaster

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July 16, 2026

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Al Benson was an influential African-American disc jockey in Chicago, known for his distinctive style on radio stations starting in the mid-1940s. Nicknamed "Yo' Ol' Swingmaster," Benson never tried to hide his "native talk," which some found unintelligible, even when he drank on air. Despite this, he attracted a large audience and was voted Chicago's most popular deejay in a 1948 Chicago Tribune poll. His authenticity resonated with listeners, who were proud to hear a Black voice on the radio.1

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Al Benson
Critic and historian Nelson George called Al Benson, who worked at several Chicago radio stations beginning in the mid-1940s, one of the most influential black deejays of all time. While many of his African-American peers were indistinguishable from white deejays over the airwaves, Benson, who…
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Critic and historian Nelson George called Al Benson, who worked at several Chicago radio stations beginning in the mid-1940s, one of the most influential black deejays of all time. While many of his African-American peers were indistinguishable from white deejays over the airwaves, Benson, who…
Read More