American baby boomers will be sad to learn that Lloyd Thaxton has passed away at age 81. Thaxton was a pioneer in bringing rock 'n roll to TV in the 1960s and used his low budget, nationally syndicated program to give a boost to many acts that went on to superstardom. Thaxton would use zany antics to enhance the visual appeal of the program, which centered on teenagers dancing to the latest hits. Thaxton was one of the first TV hosts to mainstream black recording acts. When some sponsors refused to air a segment in which James Brown was the guest, Thaxton didn't cave - he dropped the sponsors instead. Sadly, as writer Ken Levine reports, a "Best of" DVD devoted to Thaxton cannot be released because some of the acts refuse to give legal clearances for use of footage on the show that made them stars. To read click here