Chess Records — Founded in 1950 in Chicago by Leonard and Phil Chess, the label defined the sound of electric Chicago blues and laid the foundation for rock’n’roll. Artists like Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, and Etta James made Chess a powerhouse of raw, soulful American music. Its gritty sound influenced generations, from The Rolling Stones to Led Zeppelin.
Nerd Fact: The iconic guitar tone in Chuck Berry’s “Maybellene” (1955) came from an accidentally overdriven amplifier — often cited as the first distorted guitar sound in rock history.
