Checker Records
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Checker Records is a defunct record label that was started in 1952 as a subsidiary of Chess Records in Chicago, Illinois. The label was founded by the Chess brothers, Leonard and Phil, who ran the label until they sold it to General Recorded Tape (GRT) in 1969, shortly before Leonard's death.
The label released recordings by mostly African American artists and groups. Checker's releases cover a wide range of genres including blues (Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson II), rhythm and blues (Sax Mallard, Jimmy McCracklin), doo-wop (The Flamingos, The Moonglows, The Students), gospel (Aretha Franklin, Five Blind Boys of Mississippi), rock and roll (Bo Diddley, Dale Hawkins), and soul (Gene Chandler).
The label was discontinued in 1971 following GRT's consolidation of the Chess catalogs.[1] As with Cadet and Chess, the label's catalog is now owned by Universal Music Group[2] and releases from the Checker catalog are released by Geffen Records and Chess.
History
Due to the recent expansion of Chess Records, as well as to achieve greater airplay for singles, the Chess brothers opened up a subsidiary label named Checker. The first 45/78 rpm single released by the label was "Slow Caboose" b/w "Darling, Let's Give Love a Chance" by Sax Mallard and his Orchestra, which was released as Checker 750 in April 1952.[3]
The label's most popular artist, in the label's early years, was Little Walter, who had ten songs released by Checker that made the Top Ten of Billboard magazine's Top Rhythm & Blues Records charts.[4] Among those ten was "Juke" which topped the charts[5] and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008.[6]
Checker released several singles by well-established blues artists such as Elmore James,[4] Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup (credited as Perry Lee Crudup), and Memphis Minnie, none of which sold well.[3][7] One well-established blues artist that did manage to make a hit on Checker was Sonny Boy Williamson II, who charted with "Don't Start Me Talkin'" (number 3) in 1955, "Keep It to Yourself" (number 14) in 1956, and "Help Me" (number 24) in 1963.[5]
On March 2, 1955, the Chess brothers recorded their first rock and roll artist, Bo Diddley. From this session came Bo's self-titled debut single on Checker,[7] which topped the R&B charts[5] and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998. Another one of Bo Diddley's Checker singles, "Who Do You Love?", was inducted in 2010.[6] In 1957, Checker cracked into the rockabilly market with Dale Hawkins, who had a crossover hit with "Susie Q", although he could not repeat the single's success.
In 1958, Checker released its first 12" 33⅓ rpm LP record, The Best of Little Walter, which was released as Checker LP-1428.[8]
Discography
The original Checker LP series started with six albums released as part of the Chess 1425 album series before switching to the 2970 series in 1959 and continued until 1970.[9][10]
| Catalog No. | Album | Artist | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| LP-1428 | The Best of Little Walter | Little Walter | |
| LP-1429 | Oh! Suzy-Q | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-1431 | Bo Diddley | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-1433 | The Flamingos | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-1436 | Go Bo Diddley | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-1437 | Down and Out Blues | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-2971 | Keeping Tab | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-2973 | Love Those Goodies | Various Artists | |
| LP-2974 | Have Guitar Will Travel | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-2975 | Hits That Jumped | Various Artists | |
| LP-2976 | Bo Diddley in the Spotlight | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-2977 | Bo Diddley Is a Gunslinger | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-2978 | Watusi! | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-2979 | Sugar Pie DeSanto | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-2980 | Bo Diddley Is a Lover | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-2981 | Twist with Steve Alaimo | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-2982 | Bo Diddley's a Twister | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-2983 | Mashed Potatoes | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-2984 | Bo Diddley | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-2985 | Bo Diddley & Company | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-2986 | Every Day I Have to Cry | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-2987 | Surfin' with Bo Diddley | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-2988 | Bo Diddley's Beach Party | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-2989 | Bo Diddley's 16 All Time Greatest Hits | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-2990 | Hi-Heel Sneakers | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP/LPS-2991 | Two Great Guitars | Script error: No such module "Sort". and Chuck Berry | |
| LP-2992 | Hey Good Lookin' | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-2993 | Hold On! It's Joe Tex | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP/LPS-2994 | Dance with Daddy "G" | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP/LPS-2995 | We're Gonna Make It | Little Milton | |
| LP/LPS-2996 | 500% More Man | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP/LPS-2997 | The "New" Look | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP/LPS-2998 | Sing a Song of Soul | Various Artists | |
| LP/LPS-3000 | Searching for My Love | Bobby Moore & the Rhythm Aces | |
| LP/LPS-3001 | The Originator | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP/LPS-3002 | Little Milton Sings Big Blues | Little Milton | |
| LP/LPS-3003 | The Duke of Soul | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LP-3004 | The Best of Little Walter | Little Walter | reissue of Checker LP-1428 |
| LPS-3005 | The Flamingos | Script error: No such module "Sort". | reissue of Checker LP-1433 |
| LP-3006 | Go Bo Diddley | Script error: No such module "Sort". | reissue of Checker LP-1436 |
| LP-3007 | Boss Man | Script error: No such module "Sort". | reissue of Checker LP-1431 |
| LP/LPS-3008 | Super Blues | Bo Diddley, Script error: No such module "Sort"., and Little Walter | |
| LP/LPS-3010 | The Super Super Blues Band | Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters and Bo Diddley | |
| LPS-3011 | Grits Ain't Groceries | Little Milton | |
| LPS-3012 | If Walls Could Talk | Little Milton | |
| LPS-3013 | The Black Gladiator | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LPS-3014 | In the Beginning... | Various Artists | |
| LPS-3015 | Hot Wheels | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| LPS-3016 | Born to Love Me | Script error: No such module "Sort". | |
| CK-3017 | The Prayer | Script error: No such module "Sort". |
See also
References
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- ↑ Past Hall of Fame Inductees Template:Webarchive. Blues Foundation. Go under 1991 Hall of Fame Inductees and click on The Best of Little Walter--Little Walter (Checker, 1958) to view the album review.
- ↑ Both Sides Now: Chess Album Discography, Part 1: LP-1425 to LPS-1553 and CHV-400 Vintage Series accessed August 27, 2019.
- ↑ Both Sides Now: Checker Album Discography (1957–1971) accessed August 27, 2019.
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External links
- Checker Records on the Internet Archive's Great 78 Project