Biography

Record-company executive and music-industry giant Leonard Chess was born Lejzor Czyz in a Jewish ghetto in Motel, Poland, in 1917. His father emigrated to the US, settling in Chicago and getting into the liquor business, and when he had established himself there he sent for the rest of his family in 1928. The family name was changed to Chess and Lejzor became Leonard. His brother, Fiszel, became Phil Chess, who later joined Leonard in the music business.

In 1938 Leonard and Phil bought several taverns in Chicago, including the Macomba Lounge on the city's South Side, which featured many jazz and blues players. Noticing that the artists in their clubs had no place to record, in 1947 Leonard invested in a start-up record label, Aristocrat Records. By 1950 he had bought out his partners, and he and brother Phil became sole owners and renamed the label Chess Records. They signed such artists as Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Sonny Boy Williamson I and Chuck Berry, among others. The label eventually expanded its scope from blues and jazz artists to include rock, R&B, gospel, spoken-word and even comedy artists. Leonard and Phil built Chess Records (and its subsidiary labels Checker, Argo and Cadet) into one of the biggest and most respected independent labels in the business.

Leonard Chess died of a heart attack in 1969.
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Leonard Chess is an 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 with 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. 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. In 1950, the Chess brothers renamed the company Chess Records. Leonard Chess played bass drum on one of Muddy Waters' sessions in 1951, specifically on the tracks "She Moves Me" and "Still A Fool".

In the 1950s, Chess Records' commercial success grew with artists such as Chuck Berry, Little Walter, The Moonglows, The Flamingos, and in the '60s with Tommy Tucker, Etta James, Fontella Bass, KoKo Taylor, Little Milton, Laura Lee, as well as with the subsidiary labels Checker, Argo, Cadet. As the 1960s progressed, Chess's recording enterprise branched out into other genres including gospel, traditional jazz, spoken word, comedy.
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In 1947 he was one of the investors in a record label, Aristocrat Records. By 1950 he had bought out his partners and he and brother Phil Chess became sole owners of the label, which they renamed Chess Records.

Father of Marshall Chess.

Founded, with brother Leonard Chess, Checker Records (1952-69).