Lejzor Szmuel Czyż (March 12, 1917 – October 16, 1969), best known as Leonard Sam Chess, was a Polish-American record company executive and the co-founder of Chess Records. He was influential in the development of electric blues, Chicago blues, and rock and roll.
Chess was born to Polish-Jewish parents in Motal, now in Belarus.[1][2][3][4] He and his brother, Fiszel, sister, Malka, and mother arrived in New York in 1928 from Poland. They quickly went to Chicago to join their father, Joseph, who was already engaged in the liquor business, which was illegal at the height of Prohibition and controlled in Chicago by Al Capone.[5] The family name was changed to Chess, with Lejzor becoming Leonard and Fiszel becoming Philip.
Chess Records
Leonard and his brother Phil became involved in the black nightclub scene on the South Side of Chicago in 1938 running a series of jazz clubs, culminating in the Macomba Lounge.[6] In 1947, Leonard became associated with Aristocrat Records, increasing his share in the company over time; eventually he and Phil would acquire complete control. The Chess brothers moved the company away from black pop and jazz and other genres into down home blues music with artists such as Muddy Waters.[7] In 1950, the Chess brothers renamed the company Chess Records. "My Foolish Heart" (Gene Ammons), "Rollin' Stone" (Muddy Waters), and "That's All Right" (Jimmy Rogers) were among the first releases on the new label. Leonard Chess played bass drum on one of Muddy Waters' sessions in 1951, specifically on the tracks "She Moves Me" and "Still A Fool".[8]
Chess contacted Sam Phillips (of Sun Records) to help find and record new artists from the South. Phillips supplied Chess with recordings by Howlin' Wolf, Rufus Thomas, and Doctor Ross among others. Of these, Howlin' Wolf in particular became very popular, and Chess Records had to vie for him with other companies which had also been supplied with Wolf recordings by Phillips. In time, other important artists signed with Chess Records, including Bo Diddley and Sonny Boy Williamson, while Willie Dixon and Robert Lockwood Jr. took on a significant role behind the scenes. In the 1950s, Chess Records' commercial success grew with artists such as Little Walter, The Moonglows, The Flamingos, and Chuck Berry, and in the '60s with Etta James, Fontella Bass, Koko Taylor, Little Milton, Laura Lee, and Tommy Tucker, as well as with the subsidiary labels Checker, Argo, and Cadet. As the 1960s progressed, Chess's recording enterprise branched out into other genres including gospel, traditional jazz, spoken word, comedy, and more. In the early 1960s, Chess became involved in the broadcasting business as part owner of WVON-AM radio and later acquired WSDM-FM, both in Chicago.
Personal life and legacy
Chess's grave at Westlawn Cemetery
In 1941, he married Revetta Sloan, who was also Jewish; they had three children: son Marshall and two daughters, Elaine and Susie[9].[10][11] On October 16, 1969, a few months after selling his namesake label to General Recorded Tape, Leonard Chess died of a heart attack.[3] He was buried at Westlawn Cemetery in Norridge, Illinois.
Music industry historian John Broven has written that "Leonard Chess was the dynamo behind Chess Records, the label that, along with Atlantic and Sun, has come to epitomize the independent record business. ... Leonard Chess set new standards for the industry in artist development, deal making, networking, and marketing and promotion…"[12] He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, posthumously, in the non-performer category.[13]
Film and TV adaptations
Chess was the focus of 2008 movies Cadillac Records (portrayed by Adrien Brody) and Who Do You Love? (portrayed by Alessandro Nivola)[14] which are also fictional accounts of the ascent (and descent) of the label itself and the personnel who were involved or recorded at Chess Records.
Marshall Chess – Leonard's son, eventually became President of Chess Records after the GRT acquisition in 1969.
Jamar Chess – Leonard's grandson, continues the family legacy, co-founder of music publishing companies Sunflower Entertainment and Revolution Songs.
References
^Cohodas, Nadine (2000). Spinning Blues into Gold: The Chess Brothers and the Legendary Chess Records. New York: St. Martins. Bluestogold.com 2017-02-04 at the Wayback Machine
^Cohodas, Nadine (2000). Spinning blues into gold : the Chess brothers and the legendary Chess Records. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN0-312-26133-0. OCLC 43526859.
^Bloom, Nate. "Will the real music mogul stand up? Two films highlight role of Jewish immigrants in popularizing blues and rock". Jewish Standard.
^Collis, John (October 15, 1998). The Story of Chess Records. p. 188. ISBN9781582340050.
^Broven, John (2009). Record Makers and Breakers: Voices of the Independent Rock 'n' Roll Pioneers. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, p. 116. ISBN978-0-252-03290-5
^"Leonard Chess". Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
Chess Records: How Two Polish Brothers Made Music History
January 06, 2023
leonard, chess, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, december, 2. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Leonard Chess news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message Lejzor Szmuel Czyz March 12 1917 October 16 1969 best known as Leonard Sam Chess was a Polish American record company executive and the co founder of Chess Records He was influential in the development of electric blues Chicago blues and rock and roll Leonard ChessBornLejzor Szmuel Czyz 1917 03 12 March 12 1917Motal PolandDiedOctober 16 1969 1969 10 16 aged 52 Chicago Illinois U S Burial placeWestlawn CemeteryOccupationRecord company executiveSpouseRevetta SloanChildren3 including Marshall ChessFamilyJamar Chess grandson Musical careerGenresChicago blueselectric bluesbluesrock and rollrhythm and bluessoulYears active1938 1969LabelsChess Checker Argo Cadet Contents 1 Early life 2 Chess Records 3 Personal life and legacy 4 Film and TV adaptations 5 See also 6 References 7 Bibliography 8 External linksEarly life EditChess was born to Polish Jewish parents in Motal now in Belarus 1 2 3 4 He and his brother Fiszel sister Malka and mother arrived in New York in 1928 from Poland They quickly went to Chicago to join their father Joseph who was already engaged in the liquor business which was illegal at the height of Prohibition and controlled in Chicago by Al Capone 5 The family name was changed to Chess with Lejzor becoming Leonard and Fiszel becoming Philip Chess Records EditLeonard and his brother Phil became involved in the black nightclub scene on the South Side of Chicago in 1938 running a series of jazz clubs culminating in the Macomba Lounge 6 In 1947 Leonard became associated with Aristocrat Records increasing his share in the company over time eventually he and Phil would acquire complete control The Chess brothers moved the company away from black pop and jazz and other genres into down home blues music with artists such as Muddy Waters 7 In 1950 the Chess brothers renamed the company Chess Records My Foolish Heart Gene Ammons Rollin Stone Muddy Waters and That s All Right Jimmy Rogers were among the first releases on the new label Leonard Chess played bass drum on one of Muddy Waters sessions in 1951 specifically on the tracks She Moves Me and Still A Fool 8 Chess contacted Sam Phillips of Sun Records to help find and record new artists from the South Phillips supplied Chess with recordings by Howlin Wolf Rufus Thomas and Doctor Ross among others Of these Howlin Wolf in particular became very popular and Chess Records had to vie for him with other companies which had also been supplied with Wolf recordings by Phillips In time other important artists signed with Chess Records including Bo Diddley and Sonny Boy Williamson while Willie Dixon and Robert Lockwood Jr took on a significant role behind the scenes In the 1950s Chess Records commercial success grew with artists such as Little Walter The Moonglows The Flamingos and Chuck Berry and in the 60s with Etta James Fontella Bass Koko Taylor Little Milton Laura Lee and Tommy Tucker as well as with the subsidiary labels Checker Argo and Cadet As the 1960s progressed Chess s recording enterprise branched out into other genres including gospel traditional jazz spoken word comedy and more In the early 1960s Chess became involved in the broadcasting business as part owner of WVON AM radio and later acquired WSDM FM both in Chicago Personal life and legacy Edit Chess s grave at Westlawn Cemetery In 1941 he married Revetta Sloan who was also Jewish they had three children son Marshall and two daughters Elaine and Susie 9 10 11 On October 16 1969 a few months after selling his namesake label to General Recorded Tape Leonard Chess died of a heart attack 3 He was buried at Westlawn Cemetery in Norridge Illinois Music industry historian John Broven has written that Leonard Chess was the dynamo behind Chess Records the label that along with Atlantic and Sun has come to epitomize the independent record business Leonard Chess set new standards for the industry in artist development deal making networking and marketing and promotion 12 He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 posthumously in the non performer category 13 Film and TV adaptations EditChess was the focus of 2008 movies Cadillac Records portrayed by Adrien Brody and Who Do You Love portrayed by Alessandro Nivola 14 which are also fictional accounts of the ascent and descent of the label itself and the personnel who were involved or recorded at Chess Records He is portrayed by Rob Morrow on CMT s drama series titled Sun Records See also EditMarshall Chess Leonard s son eventually became President of Chess Records after the GRT acquisition in 1969 Jamar Chess Leonard s grandson continues the family legacy co founder of music publishing companies Sunflower Entertainment and Revolution Songs References Edit Cohodas Nadine 2000 Spinning Blues into Gold The Chess Brothers and the Legendary Chess Records New York St Martins Bluestogold com Archived 2017 02 04 at the Wayback Machine Bloom Nate December 5 2008 Jewish Stars Cleveland Jewish News a b services Tribune news Phil Chess co founder of blues label Chess Records dies chicagotribune com Retrieved July 22 2017 Cohen Rich October 17 2005 The Record Men The Chess Brothers and the Birth of Rock amp Roll W W Norton ISBN 9780393352504 Gordon Robert 2003 Can t Be Satisfied The Life and Works of Muddy Waters pp 89 90 Guralnick Peter I Feel like Going Home 1971 p 219 Leonard Chess interviewed on the Pop Chronicles 1969 Palmer 1982 p 164 5 Cohodas Nadine 2000 Spinning blues into gold the Chess brothers and the legendary Chess Records New York St Martin s Press ISBN 0 312 26133 0 OCLC 43526859 Bloom Nate Will the real music mogul stand up Two films highlight role of Jewish immigrants in popularizing blues and rock Jewish Standard Collis John October 15 1998 The Story of Chess Records p 188 ISBN 9781582340050 Broven John 2009 Record Makers and Breakers Voices of the Independent Rock n Roll Pioneers Urbana University of Illinois Press p 116 ISBN 978 0 252 03290 5 Leonard Chess Rock amp Roll Hall of Fame Retrieved June 21 2018 Holden Stephen April 8 2010 Fictional History What It Was Like to Start Rock n Roll Sort Of The New York Times Bibliography EditPalmer Robert 1982 Deep Blues New York City Penguin Books ISBN 0 14006 223 8 External links EditLeonard Chess at AllMusic Leonard Chess Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Chess Label Part I 1950 1952 The Chess Label Part II 1953 1955 Chess Records The Chess Story Chess Records How Two Polish Brothers Made Music History Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Leonard Chess amp oldid 1121896896, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
