Phil Chess, legendary founder of Chess Records, dead at 95


Phil Chess, far right, with Leonard Chess and leonard's son, Marshall Chess. | File photo

Phil Chess, the legendary co-founder of Chess Records, a label many credit with helping to invent rock ‘n roll, has died in Tucson, Ariz., at 95.

With his brother, Leonard Chess, the Polish immigrants started the Chicago label that recorded Muddy Waters, Etta James, Howlin’ Wolf, Buddy Guy and a cast of other top musicians, spreading the gospel of the blues. Teens in England and around the world heard the music, and the cross-pollination helped birth rock.

Mr. Chess had been in fairly good health, given his age, said a nephew, Craig Glicken. He died overnight in Tucson.

The late Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert once summarized the power and influence of Chess this way: “The former studios of Chess Records on South Michigan in Chicago are as important to the development of rock ‘n’ roll as the Sun Records in Memphis. You could make a good case, in fact, that without Chess there might have been no Sun, and without Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry, there might have been no Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis or Carl Perkins. Rock ‘n’ roll flowed directly, sometimes almost note by note, from rhythm and blues.”

Ebert was writing about the 2010 film “Who do You Love,” which, he said, told the improbable story of the Chess brothers, or “how two Jewish immigrant kids from Poland sold the family junkyard to start a music club on the black South Side, and helped launch the musical styles that have influenced everything since.”

The story of Chess Records was also told in the 2008 film “Cadillac Records,” featuring Beyonce, Adrien Brody, Mos Def and Jeffrey Wright. The Rolling Stones used the address of Chess’ studio for the name of an instrumental, “2120 S. Michigan Avenue.” That address was designated a city landmark in 1990.

Chess had a hand in a song some consider the first rock record: the 1951 tune “Rocket ’88,” by Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats, including a young Ike Turner.

Still, Phil Chess downplayed his contribution to music, once saying: “I didn’t know what I was doing.”

A private service is planned in Tucson, his nephew said.

[chicago.suntimes.com]

Sad News .... Thanks Mr Chess for all you gave
Maybe you didn't know what you were doin' but heck it sure worked out mighty fine.
And yeah along with Sun the greatest recording studios ever ... Thanks again Mr Chess



ROCKMAN