Louis named Chuck Berry (Mos Def), whose dynamic "duck walk" and catchy, country-tinged tunes mark the birth of rock-and-roll. Big Willie Dixon (Cedric the Entertainer), a songwriter and bandleader, also is a key member of the Chess Records family, as is Howlin' Wolf (Eamonn Walker), an intense and proud blues singer who develops a musical rivalry with Muddy.īut it's not until 1955 when a Chess artist finally "crosses over" into the realm of mainstream ("white") America – a skinny guy from St. He also finds that the only woman he can talk to is Muddy's girl, Geneva (Gabrielle Union), who struggles to remain loyal despite Muddy's poorly concealed affairs. After backing up Muddy on his early recordings, Little Walter becomes a star in his own right, but his quick temper and loud manner often run him afoul of friends and the law. Waters' early recordings start moving up the R+B charts and receiving heavy play.Ĭhess treats his musicians like family – he buys them a Cadillac when they record their first hit record – although the line between business and personal sometimes causes conflict with his increasingly talented and successful stable of artists. Fascinated by the sound of the music – and eager to cash in on the record burgeoning record business – Chess arranges a recording session for Waters. The story of how the blues became popular and gave birth to rock and roll begins at a dingy bar on the rough South Side of Chicago in 1947, where an ambitious young Polish émigré, bar owner Leonard Chess (Academy Award-winner Adrien Brody), hires a talented but undisciplined blues combo that includes quiet and thoughtful guitar prodigy Muddy Waters (Jeffrey Wright) and impulsive and colorful harmonica player Little Walter (Columbus Short). In this tale of sex, violence, race and rock and roll in Chicago of the 1950s and 60s, the film follows the exciting but turbulent lives of some of America's greatest musical legends. The entire Chess catalogue of music is currently owned by Universal Music Group and managed by Geffen Records."Cadillac Records" chronicles the rise of Chess Records and its recording artists. Today, the building is the home of Willie Dixon's Blues Heaven Foundation. Others who recorded there included Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Little Walter, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Etta James, the Flamingos, the Moonglows, the Dells and the Ramsey Lewis Trio. The Rolling Stones also recorded at Chess Studios on two other occasions. It was immortalized by the Rolling Stones' in "2120 South Michigan Avenue," an instrumental recorded at that studio during the group's first U.S. Most famous was 2120 South Michigan Avenue, from 1956 to 1965. During that time, it occupied several locations on Chicago's South Side. Founded and operated by Leonard and Phil Chess, two Jewish immigrant brothers from Poland, the company produced and released many rock 'n roll singles and albums and was described as "America's greatest blues label." Chess was founded in 1950 and closed in 1975. But Chicago was the home of Chess Records, an American record company that specialized in blues and rhythm and blues and later expanded into soul music, gospel music, early rock 'n roll and even jazz and comedy recordings and forged a relationship with Sam Phillips, who created the Memphis sound. Memphis, Tennessee, is credited with launching rock 'n roll and bluegrass and jazz and rhythm and blues and the musical careers of Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash.
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