Updated 6-19-2025 Added Links, Images, Sources
Presley Spun – Deejay Fired: Elvis White Christmas Banned by KEX Radio
Portland’s KEX Radio banned Elvis Presley’s recording of “White Christmas” from being played on the air. Al Priddy, a popular deejay, ignored his boss and it cost him his job. When radio station KEX received a copy of “Elvis’ Christmas Album” in 1957, the management made the decision not to air the “White Christmas” cut. One narritive is that Disc jockey, Al Priddy, figured station manager Mel Bailey wouldn’t be listening late on a Sunday night, so he gave it a spin.
Bailey tuned-in and he promptly called the station and told Priddy to finish his show and then look for a new job. The call was recorded and Priddy played the recording on the air.
Dec 03, 1957 ·P. 19
Post incident, Baily stated to the press that the song was extremely vulgar and desecrates the meaning of Christmas. Mike Ryerson recalled that the song was banned by the station executive because the boss thought is not in the good taste ascribe to Christmas music. Portlanders decried the firing as censorship. Several weeks later, Al Priddy was back on the air at KEX spinning records live all was forgotten. In 1987, at age 78, he was invited to be a guest disc jockey at KEX so he could play Elvis’ “White Christmas” one more time.
Looking for other Fun Facts?
Ryerson selected the topic an co-wrote of this Fun Fact if you want to read more posts about Ryerson:
Fun Fact #20 is about one of the businesses Mike owned on NW23rd
Fun Fact #39 is about his effort to thwart a serial raciest that led to Mike being a target of PPB
Selection of Sources:
Boule, Margie, “A Priddy Good Story, While it Lasted”. The Oregonian. Dec. 16, 1987 ·Page 25
The Oregonian, Nov. 20, 1957 ·P34
The Oregonian, Nov. 21, 1957 ·P34
The Oregon Daily Journal, Dec. 03, 1957 ·P19
The Oregonian, Nov. 22, 1957 ·P79
The Oregonian, Dec. 03, 1957 ·P17