Aristocrat Records, sometimes billed as the Aristocrat of Records, was founded in April 1947 by Charles and Evelyn Aron, together with their partners Fred and Mildred Brount and Art Spiegel. By September

Leonard Chess 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 blu ...

had invested in the young record company. Over time, Leonard bought the others out, and by 1948, only he and Evelyn Aron ran the firm. By early 1950 Leonard and his brother Phil had become the sole owners, and in June of that year they changed the company's name from Aristocrat to

Chess Records Chess Records was an American record company established in 1950 in Chicago, specializing in blues and rhythm and blues. It was the successor to Aristocrat Records, founded in 1947. It expanded into soul music, gospel music, early rock and roll ...

. The Aristocrat brand was officially discontinued in January 1951. In three years, Aristocrat released 183 songs, and recorded 18 more that were released under the new Chess label. On August 27, 1947,

Muddy Waters McKinley Morganfield (April 4, 1913 April 30, 1983), known professionally as Muddy Waters, was an American blues singer and musician who was an important figure in the post-war blues scene, and is often cited as the "father of modern Chicago b ...

made his first recordings for Aristocrat, which produced the single "Gypsy Woman" b/w "Little Anna Mae". Backing him were bassist

Ernest "Big" Crawford Ernest "Big" Crawford (July 31, 1897 – March, 1956, Memphis, Tennessee) was an American blues double bassist. He played with Muddy Waters, Sunnyland Slim, Little Walter, Memphis Minnie, Jimmy Rogers, Big Maceo, Big Bill Broonzy, Washboard Sam, Me ...

and pianist

Sunnyland Slim Albert Luandrew (September 5, 1906March 17, 1995), "Blues pianist and singer Sunnyland Slim was born Albert Luandrew in Vance, Mississippi, September 5, 1906 (most sources say 1907, but the Social Security Death Index and 1920 census data give t ...

. After a second session in December 1947, Aristocrat released "I Can't Be Satisfied" b/w "Feel Like Goin' Home," which became a minor hit.

References

External links

The Chess Story

Aristocrat Records
on the Internet Archive'
Great 78 Project
American record labels Record labels established in 1947 Record labels disestablished in 1951 1947 establishments in the United States Jazz record labels {{US-record-label-stub

See also

References

External links