The Men and the Music That Made Chess Records, Chicago Tribune. 4 It also offers tours of the building and what used to be Chess Records. The building is a museum dedicated to the blues, and the foundation is a nonprofit that helps young musicians with business and provides emergency financial assistance to musicians with medical issues. ![]() In 1993, Willie Dixon’s widow began the process of restoring the Chess Records building, and reopened it in 1997 as a donation to Willie Dixon’s Blues Heaven Foundation. 2 By 1972, the only remaining part of Chess Records that still operated in Chicago was Ter-Mar Studios, which operated out of the Michigan Avenue location until closing in 1979. The Chess brothers sold the label shortly before Leonard’s death in 1969, and Phil left the label to work on the radio station WVON. Leonard Chess’ son, Marshall, who’d worked at the label for eight years, executive produced Who Do You Love?, hoping to get a more accurate version of the story out. The Chess family criticized Cadillac Records for the artistic liberties it took with the story the movie completely omitted Phil Chess’ role in running the business, and added a relationship between Leonard Chess and Etta James (played by Beyoncé) for dramatic effect. 4 The Stones named their song “2120 South Michigan Avenue” after Chess Records, and were excited to record there since it was the home of so many of their musical inspirations.Ĭhess Records has been the subject of two movies ( Cadillac Records and Who Do You Love?, both released in 2008). In addition to the artists mentioned above, the label has also hosted artists like John Mellencamp, Ike Turner, James Young of Styx (alongside Johnnie Johnson- the namesake behind “Johnny B. Chess Records was also the first label to record Aretha Franklin, when she was singing gospel music with her father as a teenager. Goode” here in 1958, and the Chess brothers produced Etta James’ version of “At Last”. Gene Ammons gave the label its first successful release with “My Foolish Heart”, and Muddy Waters was one of the artists that transformed the label into a mainly blues-oriented space.Īs the label gained popularity, it attracted artists like Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter Horton, and Willie Dixon 2, who took on a notable role behind the scenes when he signed as a session bassist, songwriter, and producer.ĭuring the 1950s, artists like Chuck Berry, the Moonglows, and Bo Diddley signed to Chess Records, and in the 1960s, this list grew to include artists like Etta James, Koko Taylor, and Laura Lee. Some of the first artists to record at the new Chess Records were Muddy Waters, Gene Ammons, and Jimmy Rogers. He and Phil eventually acquired complete control, and renamed the company Chess Records in 1950. In 1947, Leonard acquired shares in the company Aristocrat Records. ![]() (The club opened in 1946 on Cottage Grove Ave, but closed in 1950 when it burned down.) 1 The brothers got involved in the Black nightclub scene when Leonard opened a club called the Macomba Lounge, which featured jazz and jump blues performers. After Americanizing their names, they were known as Leonard and Phil Chess, and they joined their father in Chicago, where he sold liquor during the Prohibition era. They were originally named Lejzor and Fiszel Czyż. In 1928, two brothers arrived in America from Poland.
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