Do you want to have some fun? Go to Google, and search for “top singers of all time.” You will end up with more than a half-dozen websites proclaiming that they have the list of the top 10, 20, 100, or whatever, singers of all time. Don’t waste your time. Al Jolson is in none of them. To be fair, even Frank Sinatra is only in a few, and Bing Crosby is another forgotten voice from the past.

Or try this. Take the top dozen or so, or any dozen or so, from any of these lists, throw in Jolson’s name, and ask people under 50 or so which ones they know. Then ask people over 60 or so which ones they know. Quite a difference in name recognition, and likely the older group was the only one that knew Al Jolson.

And that is the problem. And that is why the International Al Jolson Society’s membership is gradually declining. And that is why Turner Classic Movies will not show the Jolson pictures in its vault. And that is why you won’t hear any Jolson tunes on SiriusXM satellite radio, or Music Choice or other cable music stations, or your local broadcast station as well.

It is not because the songs that Al Jolson sang are out of style. There is a station on SiriusXM dedicated to Frank Sinatra that proudly proclaims that it features the American Songbook, with dozens of songs recorded by, even written by, Al Jolson being played, just not by him. Popular singers such as Michael Bublé continue to sing these songs, and they are often heard in television and film productions.

It’s not the song, it’s the singer.

Al Jolson fell out of favor when the image he crafted as a young man produced a gut revulsion among the viewing public. Al Jolson became the poster boy for racism because of the make-up he wore for the first 30 years of his career. His legacy is buried under a layer of burnt cork, a layer from under which he cannot escape. He cannot, without our help.

And how do we do that? How many of us were attracted to Jolson by the sound of his voice? The rich tones, the phrasing, the emotion of that voice. It grabs you, and it will grab others, if it can be heard. We know that, because there are many YouTube videos where someone hears the voice of Jolson, without knowing the baggage he has been forced to carry, and comes away admiring the vocal talents of the man. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of postings of Jolson performances.

But does availability of songs make it happen? About 20 years ago, I produced a commercial CD of Jolson Duets. After a spurt of sales for about three or four years, likely one or two sell a year at this time. The Society has a raft of CDs, which even to a devoted following, sell poorly at this time. The many DVDs from the Society are not faring much better, with streaming media taking the forefront. Would a BluRay of The Jolson Story and Jolson Sings Again be nice? To us fans, sure; but to the general public, not likely. I am not clear that, at this time, the demand for such a product would justify its production for other than the real fans of Al Jolson. At this time.

What needs to be done is to create an awareness of Al Jolson among an audience who has never heard him, and then at least a basal demand for hearing more. There is a precedent for this. By 1941, Al Jolson was substantially out of the public eye. He had not recorded in years, and radio appearances were few and far between. World War II presented a new audience, young soldiers who were hungry for entertainment, and may have had only a faint knowledge of Jolson, if at all. They loved his showmanship, his connection with the audience, and his voice. This new popularity bootstrapped him into his reappearance as the top star of the late 1940s, with the two film biographies, radio programs and appearances, and magazine coverage as befitting his new fame. To that audience, as today, his mode of success as a young performer was history, and not relevant at the time. The voice and the personality were unique then, and they remain so today.

With today’s sensibilities, though, the immediate reaction to the young “Gus” character, played by Jolson, is one of disgust and implicit racism. Material on the website, and included elsewhere, can address the blackface “issue” directly, with information about the true nature of the make-up, and the actions of Jolson to promote black performers, their works and music. But the first steps are the voice, the music, and reaching an audience.

The two major national outlets for music from the American Songbook are SiriusXM and Music Choice. Likely the “40s Junction” station on SiriusXM, and the “Singers & Swing” station on Music Choice would be the obvious targets. Are you lucky enough to have a local radio station, maybe even a college station, that plays this genre of songs? Write them. Certainly, email is convenient and there even may be an address or form on the station’s website, but a real typed letter is often more effective. Don’t just write and say, “Play more Jolson.” Elaborate on the format of the channel, the type of music they play, and the type of music Jolson sang. Include titles likely to be appropriate for the station to play. Refer them to the Society for more information, or even sample tracks. We are here to help.

Let TCM know that you would like to see a Jolson movie more often than the once or twice a year that they show them, and not in the wee hours. There is a link below to their website feedback form. Again, phrase your question with interest and support, helping them understand why showing Jolson movies is a good idea.

Speaking of Google, we tried this a few years ago without success, maybe this will be the year. Google features a “Google Doodle” on its page every day, commemorating some person or event. May 26 is the observed birthday of Al Jolson. Please consider sending them an email at doodleproposals@google.com suggesting a Google Doodle for the event. Boost the idea any way you want, let the Society know of your efforts and if you receive a response. Maybe we will be surprised this coming May to see Mr. Jolson doodling along on Google!

And that’s the other thing you need to do: be a member of the IAJS. There is no other organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the legend and legacy of Al Jolson. Working together, members of the Society have been able to have the US Postal Service issue a stamp commemorating Jolson, featuring a nice portrait of him; we succeeded in having “Al Jolson Way” dedicated in front of the Winter Garden Theater in New York, in honor of his Broadway career; a star was added to the Palm Springs Walk of Fame for Al Jolson; there is a prominent display about Jolson and his service to the military at both the American Legion Hall in Palm Springs and the General Patton Museum; a bench commemorates his service at the Korean War Memorial; a Jolson memorial established in Szrednus, Lithuania, Jolson’s birthplace; as well as countless local activities, press coverage, and events celebrating the man known as The World’s Greatest Entertainer. Just go to the membership page to join if you are not already a member, renew for a few more years if you are!

There is a talented group of individuals within the IAJS who have worked diligently to acquire the best available audio and video material, and lovingly reprocess them into clear CDs and DVDs that present the material as close to original quality as possible. But even with these pristine media available, the number who want to add them to their collection is woefully small. To increase the demand, to make it possible for a commercial publisher to invest the time and money to remaster the material using the latest technology, requires a potential audience of sufficient size to justify their investment. Unless and until the typical millennial has at least heard of Al Jolson, this is not going to happen.

So after a thousand words in this essay, what am I asking you to do? First, please become or continue to be a member of the International Al Jolson Society. By adding your voice to ours, we can present the clout that is needed to help give birth to future Jolson productions. Less than half of those who visit the IAJS Facebook page are members of the Society. We need you to continue as an organization, and Jolson needs us to continue to work for his legacy.

Second, tell a friend. That’s right, let someone you know who may never have heard Jolson listen to a song, or watch a movie. You pick it based on your likes and your friend’s taste. See if you can infect him or her with the Jolson bug. Maybe you are in an organization that features talks about people, music, or history. If you feel you can’t give such a talk, contact us. In these days of virtual meetings, perhaps one of us who have given such talks can arrange to deliver one remotely to your group. Spread the word!

Third, write that letter. Contact one of the media outlets mentioned, or a local broadcaster, to suggest that adding Al Jolson to their playlist would be a good idea. Be prepared for pushback because of the perception of racism, and provide information about the reality of Jolson’s history. Turner Classic Movies (TCM) has the complete library of Jolson films. Send them a message by clicking here to go to the feedback form on their website. You can email the SiriusXM “40s Junction” station at 40sJunction@SiriusXM.com. Music Choice does not show an Email address, just a Google Feedback Form which you can reach with the link shown. Both services are on Facebook and Twitter, though it is unclear if there are any responses on those sites.

If we work together, an audience can be restored that appreciates and supports the legend of Al Jolson, which will help wipe away the issues of the past, and help insure his popularity into the next century. Thank you for reading to the end, your cooperation, and your actions.