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Chance Records was a Chicago-based label founded in 1950 by Art Sheridan. It specialized in blues, jazz, doo-wop, and gospel music.
Among the acts who recorded for Chance were The Flamingos, The Moonglows, Homesick James, J. B. Hutto, Brother John Sellers, and Schoolboy Porter. In addition, Chance released three singles by John Lee Hooker and made a coordinated issue of the first singles by Jimmy Reed and The Spaniels with the brand-new and still tiny Vee-Jay Records.
The company closed down at the end of 1954. Sheridan became one of the financial backers of Vee-Jay.
In 1951, however, the company ran into big trouble with the American Federation of Musicians on account of employing non-Union personnel on one of Schoolboy Porter's sessions. The company actually lost its license to record with Union musicians for one year,Rowe, Mike (1981). Chicago Blues: The City and the Music. New York: Da Capo, p. 106. although Sheridan was able to work in a few sessions by gospel music groups, which in those days were almost entirely non-Union. He would remain persona non grata with Musicians Union Local 208 for many years.
While restricted from making new recordings, Sheridan astutely picked up items for release from many small labels: the debut session by jazz pianist John Young, Little Walter's very first session, a long out-of-print single by Sunnyland Slim, and three John Lee Hooker 78s, all released under the low-effort pseudonym John L. Booker.Murray, Charles Shaar (2002). Boogie Man: The Adventures of John Lee Hooker in the American Twentieth Century. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, p. 188.
Chance quickly recovered when the ban ended in May 1952, and Sheridan moved both the record company and his distribution operation to 1151 East 47th Street. Added to the roster were blues singer Brother John Sellers, jazz trumpeter King Kolax, down-home blues guitarist Homesick James,Obrecht, Jas (2000). Rollin' and Tumblin': The Postwar Blues Guitarists. San Francisco: Backbeat Books, p. 156 and flamboyant blues shouter Jo Jo Adams. In the fall, bassist Al Smith took over as leader of a house band that featured tenor saxophonist Red Holloway, guitarist Lefty Bates, and drummer Vernel Fournier; among the first singers they backed was Bobby Prince.
Chance hit its peak in 1953. A collaboration with Joe Brown's JOB Records brought a new release by Homesick James, including his signature number "Homesick"Rowe, p. 109. a release by Arthur "Big Boy" Spires,Rowe, pp. 113, 129. and further tracks by Sunnyland Slim and Johnny Shines that were not released till later. The company's blues roster grew further to include Lazy Bill LucasRowe, pp. 109–112. and Willie Nix.Rowe, pp. 112–113 Singer/guitarist Rudy Greene also recorded for Chance.Rowe, p. 112
Sheridan made a significant investment in doo-wop, signing two of the two top groups of the period, The Flamingos and The Moonglows. The established R&B combo led by Tommy Dean made a session, as did the jazz groups of pianist Jimmy Binkley and trumpeter Conte Candoli. In the summer, Sheridan opened a new subsidiary called Sabre Records at 1225 East 47th Street to handle some of his expanding catalog. Two doo-wop groups that Sheridan signed, the Five Echoes, and the Five Blue Notes, recorded exclusively for the new subsidiary.
In June 1953, Sheridan lent a hand to an emerging outfit from Gary, Indiana called Vee-Jay Records, which needed marketing and distribution help on its first releases by bluesman Jimmy Reed and the vocal group The Spaniels. Each was given a parallel release on Chance.Murray, p. 188.
In 1954, the company recorded The Moonglows,Warner, Jay (2006). The Moonglows. In American Singing Groups: A History, From 1940 to Today. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard, pp. 260–261. The Flamingos, along with a new vocal group called the Five Chances. It picked up what was probably its highest-profile gospel group, the Famous Boyer Brothers. A single by blues shouter Freddie Hall came from the tiny Ebony label, run by J. Mayo Williams. A major new blues signing was J. B. Hutto, who made his recording debut for Chance.Obrecht, p. 191.
However, in June 1954, Al Smith and his corps of studio musicians moved to Vee-Jay. Sabre Records made its last release in August. Sheridan wound Chance Records down in December 1954, becoming a behind-the-scenes investor in the newer company. Ewart Abner, who had been Sheridan's right-hand man at Chance, went to work for Vee-Jay in early 1955.
| "Yesterdays" |
| "Schoolboy's Boogie" |
| "I Wonder Baby" |
| "Part II" |
| "Walk Heavy" |
| "Deep Purple" |
| "Hear My Call" |
| "Night Beat" |
| "Night Beat" |
| "Miss Lorraine" |
| "Strange Things" |
| "Graveyard Blues" |
| "Stairway to the Stars" |
| "I'm Nobody's Trick" |
| "Rollin' Along" |
| "I Cried" |
| "Just Keep Loving Her" |
| "Fire Dome" |
| "Junco Partner" |
| "Rock Me in the Cradle" |
| "Farmers Blues" |
| "Road Trouble" |
| "Mighty Lonesome" |
| "Slow Mood" |
| "Lonely Heart" |
| "So There" |
| "I've Got a Crazy Baby" |
| "I Want to Hold You" |
| "Tale of Woe" |
| "I'm Blue without You" |
| "The Woman I Love" |
| "Lonely Wail" |
| "Someday, Someway" |
| "Midnite Wail" |
| "Finance Man" |
| "Chicks Going Crazy" |
| "About to Lose My Mind" |
| "Newport News" |
| "No Need of Your Crying" |
| "That's My Desire" |
| "Bounce" |
| "Roll and Rhumba" |
| "Tears in My Eyes" |
| "Memories of You" |
| "Golden Teardrops" |
| "It's You I Love" |
| "Baby Please" |
| "I Had a Dream" |
| "You Ain't Ready" |
| "Hey Santa Claus" |
| "Meet Me Baby" |
| "Real Gone Mama" |
| "Mambo Junior" |
| "Listen to My Plea" |
| "Now She's Gone" |
| "I Was Wrong" |
| "Nagasaki" |
| "Think It Over" |
| "Knock Me Out" |
| "Lovin You" |
| "My Gal" |
| "Jump Children" |
| "No More Love" |
| "Things Are So Slow" |
| "Tantalazing Melody" |
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