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Chess Records

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 the Chess and its subsidiary labels Checker and Argo/Cadet. The Chess catalogue is owned by Universal Music Group and managed by Geffen Records and Universal Music Enterprises.

For records achieved in the game of chess, see List of world records in chess.

Chess Records

1950 (1950)

1975 (1975)

Active in the present day (since its later incarnations)

Various

United States

Chicago, Illinois

Established and run by two Jewish immigrant brothers from what was then Poland, Leonard 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".[1]


Chess was based at several locations on the south side of Chicago, initially at South Cottage Grove Ave.[2] The most famous was 2120 S. Michigan Avenue, from May 1957 to 1967 [2] immortalized by the Rolling Stones in "2120 South Michigan Avenue", an instrumental recorded there during the group's first U.S. tour in 1964.[3] 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.[4] 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 16th 1990.[5] In 1993 the building was purchased by Marie Dixon, the widow of Willie Dixon, and turned into a museum which opened in 1997[6] The building is now the home of Willie Dixon's Blues Heaven Foundation.[7]

Discography[edit]

Chess LP-1425 to LPS-1553 (1956–1970)[edit]

The original Chess LP series started with LP-1425 and included albums on both the Chess and the Checker labels. After 1437, the series was used exclusively for the Chess label; the Checker label switched to a 2970 series.[25]

Marshall Chess in-depth interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' August 2010

The Chess Story, by Mike Callahan and David Edwards

Chess Records at history-of-rock.com

Chess Records in the Encyclopedia of Chicago

Willie Dixon's Blues Heaven Foundation

Chess Records: How Two Polish Brothers Made Music History

on the Internet Archive's Great 78 Project

Chess Records