[nickcarraway]

those black stations might have played Del Shannon’s Runaway, ‘coz the DJs and the audience thought he was black.

Since Shannon's picture is on the cover of the 45, it's amazing they never figured out he was white.

[Revolting cat!]

Maybe it was because the DJ copies of single were sent out in plain brown wrappers, no? A common practice at the time to disguise the race of the performer: