Max Freedman

Although Bill Haley & His Comets were supposed to be the first to record it, a dispute between Myers and Dave Miller, the owner of Essex Records, prevented Haley from doing so. The first recording of the song was made by an Italian-American novelty group, Sonny Dae & His Knights. Haley finally recorded it in 1954 for Decca Records and in 1955, the song became a no. 1 record, one of the first of the rock and roll era.

Max C. Freedman was a longtime Tin Pan Alley songwriter, best known for his song "Sioux City Sue. " That is, until he joined forces with James E. Myers (aka. Jimmy DeKnight) in 1953 to write a novelty song called "Rock Around the Clock. " The song was first offered to Bill Haley and the Comets to record for Essex Records, but Essex boss Dave Miller refused to allow the song. It was first recorded by Sonny Dae and His Knights for the Arcade label instead.

Freedman was born in Philadelphia, and became a radio announcer, writer and entertainer, before joining the staff of a music publishing company. He joined ASCAP in 1942. One of his first successes as a writer, credited as Ray Freedman, was "Sioux City Sue", a hit record for the song's co-writer Dick Thomas in 1945, and later recorded by many others including Gene Autry, Bing Crosby, Bob Wills and Willie Nelson. His other successful songs, several of which were written with Morty Berk and Frank Capano, included "Dreamy Old New England Moon", "Heartbreaker" (1947), and "Tea Leaves" (1948).

Maxamus C. Freedman (January 8, 1893 – October 8, 1962) was an American songwriter and lyricist, best remembered for co-writing the song "Rock Around the Clock" .