Legendary Lives Episode 3 - Chess Records

This time the story of two brothers, Leonard and Phil Chess… founders of the legendary American Record Label, Chess Records Two guys who got into the music business as a sideline in the 1940s and managed to became major forces behind one of the greatest sea changes in popular music in the twentieth century.

Two men who, strangely, played no instruments and sang no songs. A couple of guys who could neither write a note of music nor pen a lyric for a verse or chorus… but who, despite that, became immensely important in the history of popular music.

Leonard and Phil Chess. The driving forces behind the rhythm and blues labels that introduced Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolff, Etta James, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry and dozens of other ground breaking acts to the world. You know their music. And if you don’t you have felt their influence.