1951
DEE JAY SPECIAL * TAB SMITH * VOGUE 2172 * UK
Although he had been recording with his combo for various small labels since 1941 Dee Jay Special was Talmadge 'Tab' Smith's (1909 - 1971) first release for the Chicago independent United / States label. It was released in Great Britain with a different (later) B side Ace High (on 78 rpm only) in1953; strangely the credits on this British release are: Tab Smith, his fabulous alto and his Orchestra, while on the original American release on United 104 the ledged reads: Tab Smith His Velvet Tenor and Orchestra! The term Dee Jay, or DJ, short for Disc Jockey, would have been virtually unknown in Britain even in 1953, as there was no popular record programs on the only broadcasting network in the UK at that time: the BBC. The first person to have the job playing records for the BBC, who in retrospect could be called the first British disc jockey, was Christopher Stone who started his job July 7th 1927. As far as the term goes in today's understanding (excluding the Jamaican Dee Jay or Toaster) popular music DJs first gained real common cultural currency in the UK via songs from the likes of Chuck Berry and others, in the mid to late 1950s.