Phil Chess and the Importance of Chess Records

On Tuesday, October 18, Phil Chess, co-founder of Chess Records, passed away at the age of 95. Together with his brother Leonard, he helped pioneer blues music in the 1950s and 1960s, bringing unknown black musicians to public consciousness at a time when these artists might not have gotten heard.

Join Vinyl Bay 777 in remembering Phil Chess’ effect on music and just why he and his brother’s label was so important.

The Chess brothers’ experience in the music scene proceeded label work. In the 1940s, they owned a club, called the Macomba Lounge, in Chicago. The club frequently featured jazz, bebop and blues musicians performing late-night sets.

Even before the club closed its doors, the Chess brothers began working with Aristocrat Records in 1947. Within the next three years, they would gain complete control of the label and in 1950, they renamed it Chess Records.

Blues musician Buddy Guy, who recorded his first album for Chess Records in 1967, told the Chicago Sun Times on the occasion of Phil Chess’ death, “Phil and Leonard Chess were cuttin’ the type of music nobody else was paying attention to.” The two were responsible for making blues and R&B artists such as Guy, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Bo Diddley, Etta James, John Lee Hooker and Chuck Berry household names and gave chances to young, budding musicians like Ike Turner. Guy continued, “They started Chess Records and made Chicago what it is today – the blues capital of the world.”

Not only did Chess Records’ artists inspire the future of blues and jazz, but rock ‘n’ roll as well. While these records were originally meant to be sold to a predominantly lower-class black audience in Chicago, more middle-class jazz and folk-oriented listeners in the U.S. and U.K. began to take notice of blues artists. Bands such as The Rolling Stones were inspired to create because of these records and artists.

In 2008, two films about Chess Records were released. ‘Cadillac Records,’ which saw a wide release and a star-studded cast, and ‘Who Do You Love’ both tell the story of Leonard and Phil Chess and how Chess Records came to be. In particular, ‘Cadillac Records’ brought a renewed interest back to the label and its recordings.

Phil and Leonard Chess helped bring overlooked black musicians to the forefront of popular music. Chess Records released some of the most iconic blues and jazz recordings of the 1950s and 1960s. The music they produced inspired countless other musicians of all genres to create.

Celebrate the life of Phil Chess by coming down to Vinyl Bay 777 or shopping online at vinylbay777.com and picking up titles from Chess Records’ iconic artists.