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Chess Records was an American record company established in 1950 in Chicago, specializing in blues and rhythm and blues. It was the successor to Aristocrat Records, founded in 1947. It expanded into soul music, gospel music, early rock and roll, and jazz and comedy recordings, released on Chess and its subsidiary labels Checker Records and Argo Records/Cadet Records. The Chess catalogue is owned by Universal Music Group and managed by Geffen Records and Universal Music Enterprises.
Established and run by two Jewish immigrant brothers from what was then Poland, Leonard Chess and Phil Chess, the company produced and released many singles and albums regarded as central to the rock music canon. The musician and critic Cub Koda described Chess as "America's greatest blues label".
Chess was based at several locations on the south side of Chicago, initially at 4750 South Cottage Grove Ave. The most famous was 2120 S. Michigan Avenue, from May 1957 to 1967, immortalized by the Rolling Stones in "2120 South Michigan Avenue", an instrumental recorded there during the group's first U.S. tour in 1964. In 1967, Chess relocated to a much larger building, the former home of Revere Camera Company at 320 E. 21st Street, the label's final Chicago home. Shortly before the death of Leonard Chess in 1969, the Chess brothers sold the company. The studio at 2120 South Michigan Avenue was designated a Chicago Landmark on May 16, 1990. In 1993 the building was purchased by Marie Dixon, the widow of Willie Dixon, and turned into a museum which opened in 1997. The building is now the home of Willie Dixon's Blues Heaven Foundation.
This record is also known for the soundtrack of Rock, Rock, Rock!
The first release from Chess was "My Foolish Heart", backed with "Bless You", by Gene Ammons, issued as a 78 RPM single in June 1950. It became the label's biggest hit of the year.
In 1951, the Chess brothers began an association with record producer Sam Phillips of the Sun Studio (the forerunner of Sun Records). One of the most important recordings that Phillips gave to Chess was "Rocket 88", which topped Billboard magazine's R&B Records chart and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 in recognition of its influence on rock and roll. Upon release, the record was attributed to Jackie Brenston, but the band was actually called Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm.
Sam Phillips also brought Howlin' Wolf, one of the most influential blues musicians of all time, to the label in 1951. Howlin' Wolf's first release with Chess was "Moanin' at Midnight"/"How Many More Years", which both charted on the Billboard R&B charts, reaching 4 and 10 respectively. He stayed with Chess until his death in 1976, releasing hits like "Smokestack Lightning", "I asked for Water", and "Spoonful".
Musicians such as Bo Diddley, Willie Dixon, Chuck Berry, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, and Buddy Guy released music under Chess that was influential in early rock and roll. Many songs released by Chess were later covered by Rock music artists including the The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Cream, Fleetwood Mac, Ten Years After, The Beach Boys and Eric Clapton.
In 1952, the brothers started Checker Records as an alternative label for radio play (radio stations had a policy of playing only a limited number of records from any one imprint).Dahl, Bill Chess Records and the Ten 73s That Helped Shape Modern Music Vinyl Factory. August 5, 2015. In December 1955, they launched a jazz and pop music label, Marterry, a name created from the first names of Leonard and Phil's sons, Marshall and Terry. This was quickly renamed Argo Records, but the name was changed again in 1965 to Cadet Records to end confusion with an existing British spoken-word label.
In 1953, Leonard Chess and Gene Goodman set up Arc Music BMI, a publishing company, which published songs by many rhythm and blues artists.
In the mid-1950s, the Chess brothers received two doo-wop groups by Alan Freed, the Coronets and the Moonglows; the former group was not very popular but the latter achieved several major crossover hits including "Sincerely", which was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002. Several of Chess's releases gave a writing credit to Alan Freed.
During the 1950s, Leonard and Phil Chess handled most of the recording production themselves. They brought in producer Ralph Bass in 1960 to handle the gospel output and some of the blues singers. Bassist and songwriter Willie Dixon was also heavily involved in organizing blues sessions for the label and is now credited retroactively as a producer on some re-releases. During the 1960s, the company's A&R manager and chief producer for soul and R&B recordings was Roquel "Billy" Davis, who had previously worked with Motown founder Berry Gordy on songs for Jackie Wilson, Etta James, Marv Johnson and other early Motown releases.
In May 1957, the Chess brothers moved to a building at 2120 South Michigan Avenue in Chicago. The studio at 2120 was designed by audio engineer and business partner Jack Weiner. Opened in late 1957, it originally operated under the moniker of "Sheldon Recording Studios". Weiner moved out in 1959 and the studio was renamed "Ter-Mar Studios". "Ter-Mar" was an anagram of Leonard Chess' 2 sons names, Terry and Marshall. The studio would operate at this location until 1967 when they relocated to 320 East 21st Street.
In 1958, Chess began producing their first which included such albums as After School Session by Chuck Berry, The Best of Muddy Waters, The Best of Little Walter, and Bo Diddley.
Chess Records was also known for its regular band of session musicians who played on most of the company's Chicago soul recordings, including the drummer Maurice White and the bassist Louis Satterfield, both of whom later shaped the funk group Earth, Wind & Fire; the guitarists Pete Cosey, Gerald Sims and Phil Upchurch; the pianist Leonard Caston, later a producer for Motown; and the organist Sonny Thompson. In 1962, Chess Records was sued by Peacock Records for recording their artists Reverend Robert Ballinger and the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi.
In 1969, Chess Records established a subsidiary label in the U.K., Middle Earth Records, which was distributed by Pye Records. The subsidiary specialized in Psychedelic rock and was a joint venture with the Middle Earth Club in London. The Middle Earth label released only four albums and about a dozen singles before it closed in 1970.
Chess moved to a larger building in 1968, located at 320 East 21st Street in Chicago. The facility housed a pressing plant & new home for Ter-Mar Studios. The company was briefly run by Marshall Chess, Leonard's son, in his position as vice president between January and October 1969 and then as president following its acquisition by GRT, before he went on to found Rolling Stones Records.
Some of the other artists who contributed to the legacy of Chess Records were the The Flamingos, the The Moonglows, Fontella Bass, Billy Stewart, the The Dells and the Ramsey Lewis Trio.
In the 1990s, MCA Records sued Charly Records for selling CDs which contained copyrighted material by Chess artists.
In February 1997, MCA started releasing eleven compilation albums for the 50th anniversary of Chess Records.
In the 2000s, Universal's limited-edition reissue label, Hip-O Records, began releasing a series of comprehensive box sets devoted to such Chess artists as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry.
In July 2008, the 2008 Universal Studios fire burned down a warehouse filled with Universal Music Group recording masters, including many albums and songs released by Chess. These masters, by artists such as Chuck Berry, were "priceless" and irreplaceable; while UMG claimed at the time it had copies, later investigative reporting questioned this, with the truth emerging that all the masters were destroyed.
Chess Records was the subject of two films produced in 2008, Cadillac Records and Who Do You Love?. In addition to the Chess brothers, both films feature portrayals of or characters based on Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Chuck Berry, Howlin' Wolf and Etta James. Cadillac Records was directed by Darnell Martin and features an ensemble cast including Adrien Brody (as Leonard Chess), Mos Def (as Chuck Berry), Beyoncé Knowles (as Etta James) and Jeffrey Wright (as Muddy Waters). Who Do You Love was directed by Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks and stars Alessandro Nivola playing Leonard Chess "as a complicated, driven man, hard on both his musicians and his family, yet with a real love for some of America's greatest music." The world premiere of the latter film was at the Toronto International Film Festival, September 11, 2008.
| LP-1425 | Rock, Rock, Rock | Various Artists | soundtrack album for the motion picture of the same name featuring The Moonglows, Chuck Berry and The Flamingos |
| LP-1426 | After School Session | ||
| LP-1427 | The Best of Muddy Waters | Muddy Waters | |
| LP-1428 | The Best of Little Walter | Little Walter | |
| LP-1429 | Oh! Suzy-Q | ||
| LP-1430 | Look! It's the Moonglows | ||
| LP-1431 | Bo Diddley | ||
| LP-1432 | One Dozen Berrys | ||
| LP-1433 | The Flamingos | released on Checker | |
| LP-1434 | Moanin' in the Moonlight | Howlin' Wolf | |
| LP-1435 | Berry Is on Top | ||
| LP-1436 | Go Bo Diddley | released on Checker | |
| LP-1437 | Down and Out Blues | released on Checker | |
| LP-1438 | House of the Blues | compiles tracks from 1951–52 | |
| LP-1439 | Oldies in Hi-Fi | Various Artists | |
| LP/LPS-1440 | Benny Rides Again | ||
| LP-1441 | Bunch of Goodies | Various Artists | |
| LP-1442 | Soulful Saxophone | ||
| LP-1443 | In a German Beer Garden | at the Organ | |
| LP-1444 | Muddy Waters Sings "Big Bill" | Muddy Waters | |
| LP-1445 | Jug and Sonny | and Sonny Stitt | |
| LP-1446 | Walkin' by Myself...and Other Blues Hits of the Past | Various Artists | |
| LP-1447 | The Funniest Woman in the World: Moms Mabley Onstage | ||
| LP-1448 | Rockin' at the Hops | ||
| LP/LPS-1449 | At Newport 1960 | Muddy Waters | |
| LP-1450 | Have I Had You Before? | ||
| LP-1451 | The Trial | ||
| LP-1452 | Moms Mabley at the 'UN' | ||
| LP-1453 | The Loneliest Gal in Town | ||
| LP-1454 | John Lee Hooker Plays & Sings the Blues | ||
| LP-1455 | Memphis Slim | Memphis Slim | |
| LP-1456 | New Juke Box Hits | ||
| LP-1457 | Larry Williams | ||
| LP-1458 | Murray the K's Golden Gassers | Various Artists | |
| LP-1459 | Fun | ||
| LP-1460 | "Moms" Mabley at the Playboy Club | ||
| LP-1461 | Murray the K's Blasts from the Past | Various Artists | |
| LP-1462 | Pigmeat at the Party | ||
| LP-1463 | Moms Mabley at Geneva Conference | ||
| LP-1464 | Jimmy McCracklin Sings | ||
| LP-1465 | Chuck Berry Twist | also released as More Chuck Berry | |
| LP-1467 | Anything Goes with Pigmeat | ||
| LP-1468 | Big Bill Broonzy and Washboard Sam | / Washboard Sam | split album |
| LP-1469 | Howlin' Wolf | Howlin' Wolf | |
| LP-1470 | Murray the K's Gassers for Submarine Race Watchers | Various Artists | |
| LP-1471 | The Best of Bobby Lester and the Moonglows | and the Moonglows | |
| LP-1472 | Moms Mabley Breaks it Up | ||
| LP-1473 | Rinky Dink | ||
| LP-1474 | Treasure Tunes from the Vault | Various Artists | |
| LP-1475 | The World's Greatest Clown | ||
| LP-1476 | Dance Tunes from the Vault, Volume 2 | Various Artists | |
| LP-1477 | Young Men Si, Old Men No | ||
| LP-1478 | Groups of Goodies | Various Artists | |
| LP-1479 | I Got Somethin' to Tell You | ||
| LP-1480 | Chuck Berry on Stage | ||
| LP-1481 | Slappy White at the Club Harlem | ||
| LP-1482 | The Funny Sides of Moms Mabley | ||
| LP-1483 | Folk Singer | Muddy Waters | |
| LP-1484 | Open the Door Richard | ||
| LP-1485 | Chuck Berry's Greatest Hits | ||
| LP-1486 | Moms Wows | ||
| LP-1487 | The Best of Moms and Pigmeat Volume One | / Pigmeat Markham | split album |
| LP/LPS-1488 | St. Louis to Liverpool | ||
| LP/LPS-1489 | Full Bloom | ||
| LP-1490 | The Blues Soul of Johnny "Guitar" Watson | also released as I Cried For You | |
| LP-1491 | Groups of Goodies Volume 2 | Various Artists | |
| LP/LPS-1492 | Shades of a Genius | ||
| LP-1493 | Mr. Funny Man | ||
| LP-1494 | Up Tight | ||
| LP/LPS-1495 | Chuck Berry in London | ||
| LP/LPS-1496 | I Do Love You | ||
| LP-1497 | The Men in My Life | ||
| LP/LPS-1498 | Fresh Berry's | ||
| LP/LPS-1499 | Unbelievable | also released as Summertime | |
| LP-1500 | This'll Kill Ya! | ||
| LP-1501 | The Real Folk Blues | Muddy Waters | |
| LP-1502 | The Real Folk Blues | Howlin' Wolf | |
| LP-1503 | The Real Folk Blues | ||
| LP-1504 | One More Time...... | / Pigmeat Markham | split album |
| LP/LPS-1505 | If You Can't Be Good, Be Careful! | ||
| LP/LPS-1506 | The Comeback | ||
| LP/LPS-1507 | Muddy, Brass & the Blues | Muddy Waters | |
| LP/LPS-1508 | The Real Folk Blues | ||
| LP/LPS-1509 | More Real Folk Blues | ||
| LP/LPS-1510 | The Real Folk Blues | Memphis Slim | |
| LP/LPS-1511 | More Real Folk Blues | Muddy Waters | |
| LP/LPS-1512 | More Real Folk Blues | Howlin' Wolf | |
| LP/LPS-1513 | Billy Stewart Teaches Old Standards New Tricks | ||
| LP/LPS-1514D | Chuck Berry's Golden Decade 2xLP | ||
| LP/LPS-1515 | Mr. Vaudeville | ||
| LP/LPS-1516 | The Baroques | ||
| LP-1517 | Save Your Soul, Baby! | ||
| LP/LPS-1518 | Sax and the Single Girl | ||
| LP/LPS-1519 | Wayne Cochran! | ||
| LP/LPS-1520 | Petal Pushers | Various Artists | The Bystanders - Royal Blue Summer Sunshine Day; Sounds Around - Red White And You; Pennsylvania Sixpence - Love Of The Common People; Ali Ben Dhown - Mustapha; Pinkerton's Colours - MUM And DAD; The Bystanders - Make Up Your Mind; The Traffic Jam - Almost But Not Quite There; Tony Crane - Anonymous Mr. Brown; Ali Ben Dhown - Turkish Delight; The Bystanders - Pattern People. |
| LP/LPS-1521 | Backstage | ||
| LP/LPS-1522 | Heavy Heads | Various Artists | |
| LP/LPS-1523 | Here Come the Judge | ||
| LP/LPS-1524 | The Last Request | and Operation Breadbasket | |
| LP/LPS-1525 | Moms Mabley Breaks Up the Network | ||
| LP/LPS-1526 | Tune Me In | ||
| LP/LPS-1527 | I Left My Blues in San Francisco | ||
| LP/LPS-1528 | Heavy Heads Voyage 2 | Various Artists | |
| LP/LPS-1529 | The Hustlers | ||
| LP/LPS-1530 | Moms Mabley Sings | ||
| LP/LPS-1531 | Fathers and Sons | Muddy Waters | |
| LP/LPS-1532 | Koko Taylor | ||
| LP-1533 | Blues from Big Bill's CopaCabana | Various Artists | |
| LP/LPS-1534 | Pigmeat's Bag | ||
| LP-1535 | Hate to See You Go | Little Walter | Chess Vintage Series |
| LP-1536 | Bummer Road | Chess Vintage Series | |
| LP-1537 | Whose Muddy Shoes | / John Brim | Chess Vintage Series |
| LP-1538 | Door to Door | / Otis Rush | Chess Vintage Series |
| LP-1539 | Sail On | Muddy Waters | Chess Vintage Series reissue of Chess LP-1427 |
| LP-1540 | Evil | Howlin' Wolf | Chess Vintage Series reissue of Chess LP-1434 |
| LP-1544 | Pop Origins Volume One | Various Artists | |
| LP/LPS-1545 | Moogie Woogie | ||
| LP/LPS-1546 | Souled Out | Various Artists | |
| LPS-1547 | Billy Stewart Remembered | ||
| LPS-1548 | Just a Taste | ||
| LPS-1549 | On the Case | ||
| LPS-1550 | Back Home | ||
| LPS-1551 | Black Merda | Black Merda | |
| LP-1552 | Rocky Roberts | ||
| LP-1553 | They Call Me Muddy Waters | Muddy Waters | |
| LP-407 | Chicago Bound | with Little Walter and Muddy Waters recorded 1954–56 | |
| LP-408 | Hung Down Head | recorded 1954–61 | |
| LP-409 | I Was Walking Through the Woods | ||
| LP-410 | Natural Man | ||
| LP-411 | Drop Down Mama | Various Artists | featuring Johnny Shines, Robert Nighthawk, Big Boy Spire, Honey Boy Edwards and Floyd Jones |
| CHV-412 | Shoutin', Swingin' And Makin' Love | Various Artists | featuring Jimmy Rushing, Jimmy Witherspoon, Wynonie Harris and Al Hibbler |
| CHV-413 | Rare Unissued Recordings, Vintage 1951-53 | Various Artists | featuring Leo Parker, Sahib Shihab and Red Saunders |
| CHV-414 | Chicago's Boss Tenors (1948-1956) | Various Artists | featuring Tom Archia, Gene Ammons, Claude McLin and Johnny Griffin |
| CHV-415 | South Side Jazz | Various Artists | featuring Eddie South, Eddie Johnson, Prince Cooper, Red Saunders and Dave Young |
| CHV-416 | Confessin' the Blues | Little Walter | |
| CHV-417 | One Way Out | ||
| CHV-418 | Change My Way | Howlin' Wolf | |
| Chess CH-50001 | Another Dimension | |
| Chess CH-50002 | Message to the Young | Howlin' Wolf |
| Cadet CA-50004 | Freedom Means | |
| Cadet CH-50005 | Great Female Soul Vocalists | Various Artists |
| Cadet Concept CC-50006 | Hey, Love | The New Rotary Connection |
| Cadet CA-50007 | Occasional Rain | |
| Chess CH-50008 | San Francisco Dues | |
| Cadet CA-50009 | Mystical Lady | |
| Cadet Concept CC-50010 | Oh What a Lovely War | |
| Cadet CA-50011 | Swahili Strut | Sextet |
| Chess CH-50012 | Live at Mr. Kelly's | Muddy Waters |
| Chess CH-50013 | Greatest Hits | Little Milton |
| Chess CH-50014 | Power and Light | Power & Light |
| Chess CH-50015 | Live and Cookin' | Howlin' Wolf |
| Chess CH-50016 | Where it All Began | |
| Cadet CA-50017 | The Dells Sing Dionne Warwick's Greatest Hits | |
| Chess CH-50018 | Basic Soul | |
| Cadet CA-50019 | What Color Is Love | |
| Cadet CA-50020 | The Groover | |
| Cadet CA-50021 | Sweet as Funk Can Be | |
| Cadet 2CA-50022 | The Best of the Soulful Strings | |
| Chess CH-50023 | Can't Get No Grindin' | Muddy Waters |
| Cadet CA-50024 | Check This Out | |
| Cadet CA-50025 | Lean on Me | |
| Cadet CA-50026 | Mr. Bojangles | |
| Chess 2CH-50027 | This Is My Story | |
| Chess CH-50029 | The London Bo Diddley Sessions | |
| Chess 2CH-50030 | The Golden Age of Rhythm and Blues | Various Artists |
| Chess CH-50031 | Love More Than Pride | |
| Chess CH-50032 | Ghettos of the Mind | Bama the Village Poet |
| Chess 2CH-50033 | Fathers and Sons | Muddy Waters |
| Cadet CA-50034 | Teardrops in the Rain | |
| Cadet 2CA-50035 | Inspiration | |
| Cadet CA-50036 | Superstition | |
| Cadet CA-50037 | Give Your Baby a Standing Ovation | |
| Cadet 2CA-50038 | It Was a Very Good Year | |
| Cadet 2CA-50039 | I Cover the Waterfront | |
| Chess CH-50040 | Come and Get Me | |
| Cadet CA-50041 | I Just Can't Help Myself | |
| Chess CH-50042 | Etta James a.k.a. | |
| Chess CH-50043 | Bio | |
| Cadet CA-50044 | Songs for Ageing Children | |
| Chess CH-50045 | The Back Door Wolf | Howlin' Wolf |
| Cadet CA-50046 | The Dells | |
| Chess CH-50047 | Big Bad Bo | |
| Cadet CA-50048 | While My Guitar Gently Weeps | |
| Cadet CA-50049 | Atlantis | |
| Cadet CA-50051 | The Fourth Dimension | |
| Cadet CA-50052 | In the Cut | |
| Chess CH-50053 | You Can All Join In | |
| Cadet 2CA-50058 | Solid Ivory | |
| Cadet CH-50059 | Cross My Heart | |
| Cadet CA-50060 | Satan | |
| Chess 2CH-60000 | Laugh Time | and Pigmeat Markham |
| Cadet CA-60001 | Back to the Roots | |
| Cadet 2CA-60002 | Charlie Parker Memorial Concert | Various Artists |
| Cadet 2CA-60003 | Rock Bottom | Various Artists |
| Chess 2CH-60004 | Peaches | |
| Chess 2CH-60005 | Got My Own Bag of Tricks | |
| Chess 2CH-60006 | McKinley Morganfield A.K.A. Muddy Waters | Muddy Waters |
| Cadet 2CA-60007 | Ha' Mercy | |
| Chess CH-60008 | The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions | Howlin' Wolf |
| Chess 2CH-60009 | Moms and Pigmeat | and Pigmeat Markham |
| Cadet 2CA-60010 | Everything 'Bout Sax and Flute | |
| Chess 2CH-60011 | Mad Man's Blues | |
| Chess 2CH-60012 | Chicago Blues Anthology | Various Artists |
| Chess CH-60013 | The London Muddy Waters Sessions | Muddy Waters |
| Chess 2CH-60014 | Boss Blues Harmonica | Little Walter |
| Chess 2CH-60015 | Blues Rock Cookbook: Montreux Festival | Various Artists |
| Chess 2CH-60016 | Chester Burnette A.K.A. Howlin' Wolf | Howlin' Wolf |
| Cadet 2CA-60017 | The Heatin' System | |
| Cadet 2CA-60018 | Inside | |
| Cadet 2CA-60019 | Cool Cookin' | |
| Chess CH-60020 | The London Chuck Berry Sessions | |
| Cadet CA-60021 | 12 X 6 The Hard Way | Various Artists |
| Cadet CA-60022 | 12 X 6 The Easy Way | Various Artists |
| Chess 2CH-60023 | Chuck Berry's Golden Decade Volume 2 | |
| Cadet CA-60024 | 12 X 6 Volume 3 | Various Artists |
| Cadet CA-60025 | 12 X 6 Volume 4 | Various Artists |
| Chess 2CH-60026 | London Revisited | Howlin' Wolf / Muddy Waters |
| Cadet CA-60027 | The Dells vs. The Dramatics | / The Dramatics |
| Chess 2CH-60028 | Chuck Berry's Golden Decade, Volume 3 | |
| Chess CH-60029 | Come a Little Closer | |
| Cadet CA-60030 | The Mighty, Mighty Dells | |
| Chess CH-60031 | "Unk" in Funk | Muddy Waters |
| Chess CH-60032 | Chuck Berry | |
| Cadet CA-60033 | Got to Get Your Own | |
| Chess CH-60034 | American Gypsy | American Gypsy |
| Chess CH-60035 | The Muddy Waters Woodstock Album | Muddy Waters |
| Chess CH-60036 | The Dells Greatest Hits, Volume 2 | |
| Chess CH-60037 | Black Caucus Concert | Various Artists |
| Cadet 2CA-60038 | Early Visions | |
| Cadet CA-60039 | Magnetic Feel | |
| Cadet CA-60040 | Never Can Say Goodbye | |
| Chess CH-60042 | Music to Make Love By | |
| Cadet CA-60044 | We Got to Get Our Thing Together |
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