Label Owner | All About Blues Music

ART RUPE

Specialty Records was one of the independent labels that made the West coast a new and fast-growing source of Blues music after WWII. Owner Art Rupe was an extremely ‘hands on’ in running the company, discovering artists and repertoire, producing records, supervising the pressing plant and setting up his own national distribution network. After a…

AHMET ERTEGUN

As the founder and President of Atlantic Records, Ahmet Ertegun was a powerful force in establishing R&B music in the ‘crossover’ market during the 50s and 60s. A talented producer and songwriter, Ahmet made Atlantic the most exciting and forward looking label of the time, and perhaps his greatest asset was his ability to recognise…

SAM PHILLIPS

Radio engineer Sam Phillips was so convinced of the quality of the musical talent he was hearing around Beale Street in Memphis in the years just after WWII, he was inspired to set up his own recording studio. Some legendary Blues artists made their first records there, including arguably the first ‘Rock’n’Roll’ record. Sam commented…

DON ROBEY

Don Robey was the owner of the Peacock, Duke and BackBeat labels that released some important R&B records in the 50s and were also the home of some of the best Gospel artists of the day. He was a tough man to deal with and made a lot of money by giving himself co-writing credits…

LEW CHUDD

Lew Chudd was one of the most prominent label owners of the 50s, who promoted the idea of cultural diversity not only by recording black artists, but by hiring black executives too. Always a shrewd businessman, he oversaw the recording career of Fats Domino during the period that made him a world star, and pioneered…

LEONARD CHESS

The Godfather of Chicago Blues, Leonard Chess made his Chess Record company the home of many legends of electrified urban Blues. Leonard and his brother Phil were Polish immigrants who came with their parents to New York in 1928, but soon relocated to Chicago. The brothers were fascinated by the music scene in the South-side…

JOHN FAHEY

The life of John Fahey is a fascinating enigma. He was an influential and innovative Folk/Blues guitarist; he set up his own record label as a teenager; he was an academic and musicologist; he re-discovered and recorded Bukka White in 1963; his music moved into the avant-guard with classical and Eastern influences; he struggled with…

THE BIHARI BROTHERS

Lester, Jules, Saul and Joe Bihari were four brothers of Hungarian descent who were responsible for setting up a string of record labels in Los Angeles and Memphis that made a huge contribution to the success of Blues music, especially on the West Coast, in the post-WWII era. The eldest brother, Lester, had a job…