As the co-founder of the legendary Chess Records label, producer
Leonard Chess played a pivotal role in the birth of the Chicago electric blues movement of the postwar era, launching the careers of legends ranging from
Muddy Waters to
Howlin' Wolf to
Little Walter. Born March 12, 1917 in Motol, Poland, he and his family settled in Chicago upon emigrating to the U.S.; there
Chess and his brother, Philip, entered the nightclub business, and were already the owners of a number of area clubs when, in 1947, they bought into Evelyn Aron's newly formed Aristocrat Records label. Originally known for its jazz and jump blues output, Aristocrat's signature sound was irrevocably altered in the wake of the recording of "Johnson Machine Gun," the label debut from Chicago blues piano veteran
Sunnyland Slim. The session introduced the
Chess brothers to Delta slide guitarist
Muddy Waters, who in 1948 cut his solo debut "I Can't Be Satisfied," a landmark 78 which dictated the company's new blues aesthetic from that point forward.
Also in 1948, Aristocrat issued
Robert Nighthawk's "My Sweet Lovin' Woman," which introduced
Willie Dixon to the fold; the brothers bought out
Aron two years later, rechristening the company Chess Records at that time. Their first release under the new banner,
Gene Ammons' "My Foolish Heart," was quickly followed by
Waters' seminal "Rollin' Stone." Local guitarist
Jimmy Rogers was signed to the label around the same time, debuting with "That's All Right" and remaining a label fixture throughout the decade thanks to singles like "Sloppy Drunk," "You're the One," and "Walking by Myself." However, the most important addition of 1950 was
Waters' harpist
Little Walter, who within two years topped the R&B charts with his solo instrumental hit "Juke" and went on to score smashes like "Mean Old World," "You're So Fine," and "My Babe," in the process revolutionizing the role of blues harmonica with his pioneering amplified style.
All told, the success of the label's artists established
Chess as the cutting-edge in urban blues;
Leonard soon began seeking talent outside of the Chicago area, contacting Sun Records'
Sam Phillips to aid in the search.
Phillips sent
Chess masters of recordings by
Rufus Thomas, Dr. Isaiah Ross, and
Bobby Bland; his key discovery, however, was
Howlin' Wolf, who scored a major hit in 1951 with his label debut "How Many More Years." He relocated from Memphis to Chicago in 1953, soon recording classic tracks like "Smokestack Lightnin'" and "Who Will Be Next." By the mid-'50s, Chess Records included affiliated labels Checker, Argo, and Specialist, with new signings ranging from legends like
Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller), who quickly struck paydirt with "Don't Start Me to Talkin'," to newcomers like
Bo Diddley, whose debut single -- the two-sided hit "Bo Diddley"/"I'm a Man" -- introduced one of rock & roll's most influential and enduring beats.
Still,
Leonard's most important discovery of the period was
Chuck Berry, who signed to
Chess in mid-1955. From his first hit "Maybellene" onward,
Berry essentially wrote the book on rock & roll, creating its most indelible guitar riffs over the course of singles like "Johnny B. Goode" and "Sweet Little Sixteen." Hits from the
Moonglows and the
Flamingos also brought
Chess success on the pop charts, and the label continued issuing classic blues as well, welcoming artists like
Buddy Guy,
Otis Rush, and
Etta James to the roster by 1960. Other performers like
Fontella Bass, Laura Lee,
Koko Taylor,
Little Milton, and Tommy Tucker continued
Chess' hit streak in the years to follow, while the British R&B boom of the early '60s illuminated the label's massive influence for a new generation of listeners. However, the death of
Leonard Chess on October 16, 1969 proved a dagger in the heart of the company, and the
Chess name and logo then passed through many hands before MCA began a major reissue program during the '90s. ~ Jason Ankeny