History of the Rock-Ola Jukebox

If you tried to think of something that the famous artists Cheryl Cole and Clay Aiken had in common, you’d be forgiven for taking your time! But what brings these two great musicians together is their love of the Rock-Ola Jukebox, which has an amazing history over the last hundred years or so, and will hopefully continue to be produced for many years to come.

History of the Rock-Ola Jukebox

David Rockola founded his company Rock-Ola Manufacturing Corporation in 1927, and at first he only manufactured machines like slot machines, scales, and pinball machines. However, throughout the 1920s David Rockola often found himself on the wrong side of the law. In fact, he was often linked with some of the most deadly and dangerous of the Chicago organised crime scene, and often found himself in some rather sticky situations. By the end of this time, David Rockola only escaped going to jail himself by turning State’s Evidence on the men that he had been working with.

This seemed to have given David Rockola the scare of his life, and he decided to turn over a new leaf. He began to manufacture jukeboxes, and by 1935 his company was selling over forty thousand jukeboxes every year. The jukeboxes were so popular, in fact, that it is believed by some that the brand name Rock-Ola actually created the genre named rock and roll. Although this cannot actually be proven to be right or wrong, it is a rather wonderful idea!

Retro Jukeboxes

It is now possible to own a part of that period, with a retro model of Jukebox. Bringing together all of the beautiful and clear sounds of the twenty-first century with the clean-cut and vibrant design of the twentieth century, it is a definite must for any collector and admirer alike.