The Birth Of Chess Records

[@aidanmaxwell1019]

You can’t deny that hair-standing-up feeling. When it comes to music, that’s really all that matters. Even if you don’t know why. I can totally see that happening with someone’s first time hearing Muddy live!

[@mannishboy1]

Willie Dixon made Chess Records. Besides being a great bassist, he wrote and produced all their biggest songs. Quick story... Willie was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi. They town bigwigs decided they should do a "Willie Dixon Day". They proceeded to clean up the town, tearing down old, dilapidated houses. When Willie's family came home, they discovered the town had torn down Willie's birthplace! One other thing... I was playing Vicksburg and someone told me there was a street named for Dixon. I found it. It's called "Willie Dixon Way." It's one block long and there's nothing on it! GOOD JOB, VICKSBURG!!!

[@Reformed_Hamburglar]

Tell the other side of the story too. Willie was Chess' liaison on the street. He was the one who pulled in talent. And, in exchange for no recording fees Willie would hustle writing credits. Buddy Guy & others have written about this. That's why Willie is listed as the author on a lot of basic tunes. So, Willie gets credit, Chess gets credit and the performers get to cut a record. Chess did other unfortunate things too. They were super strict about "clean" records akin to pop music in the day. If you listen to early Wolf & Muddy before they got to Chess the records have more distortion on the instruments and edge in general. That's how it usually sounded in the clubs, Chess didn't capture that.

[@artemisXsidecross]

@@Reformed_Hamburglar The music business was always about self-promotion and making an income around the edges of those who held the resources to make and distribute recordings. It was not for the faint of heart or those who demanded fairness and equity.

[@elaztec.aztecca]

@@artemisXsidecrossthe music ‘business’ is just as cutthroat today for fledgling amateur or ‘semi professional’ musicians. Everyone from management and booking agents and promoters are ALL trying to leech profits from every possible angle . Some artists have staying power and perseverance but that’s usually the rich kids who are funded and backed by daddy’s credit cards and their ability to get that new Astro van the hotel rooms and that 4 weeks on the road and while not having to balance working full time jobs too. I’ve seen a lot of wonderful artists have to make that sacrifice and forgo pushing their product or art at the level it requires .

[@johnreilly9748]

Thank the Lord for Chess Records! I had them got a great education in the blues and country blues! Even got to meet Muddy one time and had the honor to buy him a drink!

[@TheRambouillet]

I met Phil Chez @ a OTB bar during his final days in Tucson. Chomping on a unlite cigar, reeling off facts about Buddy,Etta & Willie. Signed my box set & old Maxwell St. photo. Goosebumps is right.

[@justpeachy4938]

For more on this topic, I highly recommend "Born In Chicago", an excellent documentary on the birth of the Butterfield Blues Band from the blues scene in South Chicago. Goes into deep detail about the Black community, migration from the deep south, the Chess brothers, Muddy & Howlin' Wolf, and a lot more. Really good stuff! It's on Prime.

[@Caperhere]

This was really interesting , good history. Thank you, Otis and Bill. Hope everyone has a great day😊

[@joebubbit]

No story of Chess is complete without kudos to sound engineer Malcom Chisholm. He put down Chuck Berry's Maybellene on tape which crossed all the charts, and recorded all the great blues artists at Chess (Little Walter being his favorite).

[@badapple65]

Thank God for this channel recording/preserving history for us. Right on Otis!

[@ish474]

I know a bit about the Chess and Stax stories and I listened to Marshall's radio show for a long time. I love hearing these stories no matter how many times I hear them.

[@catheryndenton1766]

Bill is so eloquent!!! ❤

[@drunkenmaster3weekssober]

You can hear Leonard’s musical debut and foot stomping prowess on Muddy’s 1951 releases of “She Moves Me” and “Still A Fool” where he took over on the kick drum since he decided the drummer on the session didn’t quite understand what those songs needed at that time.

[@explorn66]

Another great interview. This guy has some awsome stories. Love this stuff. The back stories are the heart and soul of good music. Keep up the good work. Thanks!

[@architypeone8646]

Great stories! Thanks, Otis!

[@thesongwritersdropin2565]

There's a good documentary which Martin Scorsese did called "presents the blues" which I believe there are now clips on KZbin. One of the episodes was on chess and which spoke to Marshall at length. I have the whole Dvd box set and it's covers all areas of the Blues . This video did have some stuff which wasn't mentioned in the documentary. Always interesting to hear different takes on it . Great video . Thanks .

[@otisgibbs]

Bill offers the absolute best walking tour of Nashville. Do yourself a favor and take his tour while you're in town. www.walkinnashville.com/meet-your-guide/

[@scottkidwell3601]

From such humble beginnings... quite the history! Great stories, too! Thank you, Otis and Bill 🙏🏻🤍

[@billr9125]

What a great story teller - thank you both.

[@otisgibbs]

----- Otis Tour Dates ------- 08/25/24. -Peace Dale, Rhode Island. -Roots Hoot 08/27/24 - 08/30/24 -Big Indian, New York -with Todd Snider and Tim Easton 10/25/24 -Brown County Playhouse -Nashville, Indiana 03/05/25 -TivoliVredenburg -Utrecht, Netherlands 03/06/25 - Cultural Centre De Zeepziederij -Bree, Belgium 03/08/25 -Lutherse Kerk -Groningen, Netherlands ------ Details at otisgibbs.com ----------

[@TomCaverly]

Otis, what a fine video interview! Thank you so much!

[@vincedugar4840]

Your interviews are priceless information, thanks for what you do Otis!

[@anthonystephan656]

Thank you Otis! Fascinating!

[@paavoviuhko7250]

Fantastic video. So many levels of interest for me here that it's comparable to reading Schopenhauer. I like to get inspired by reminiscences and stories that have deep implications. They send me to my sketch book for writing down for future reference. Thanks for this jewel.

[@WhatJeanWants]

What amazing stories!! Thank you!!!

[@2packs4sure]

Wow that was extremely interesting, thank you so much for posting it Otis !!

[@myronthurman4097]

Great job thanks Otis went great with my first cup of coffee just come on home!!! 😊😊😊😊😊❤

[@terrybevis2872]

If not for documentation from channels like this about our past, it would all be lost. These stories are amazing. Otis needs to catalog this stories so they could be produced in short films about these artists. And the people that helped pave the way. Show several shorts in theaters around the country, but show live performances from the past between each short. I would pay for a night of historical stories and large screen videos of these almost forgotten artists. Please consider.

[@ricksaint2000]

Thank you Otis

[@otisgibbs]

Ways to support this channel. www.patreon.com/otisgibbs kzbin.info/door/YX2MTovE0vYjD8touqRH7Qjoin Tip jar for anyone who wants to help support this channel. paypal.me/otisgibbs?locale.x=... www.venmo.com/OtisGibbs Paypal: @otisgibbs Venmo: @OtisGibbs

[@sevenmileridgeband]

Great history!!! Thanks.

[@AaronSpielman]

Fantastic video!

[@archstanton9638]

WOW! One of the best sources ever! So cool

[@StringsandWings]

What a fascinating part of history. Thank you.

[@bluequirk5384]

Oh Yeh , one of the best ever . Thank you

[@Kevin-kr5ok]

Enjoyed this segment ! Good stuff !

[@trentflynn6568]

Excellent video! Get ahold of Jerry Phillips, and, talk about Sun also!

[@SeeCSeesCC]

❤indeed. Nice Otis

[@mikeroti296]

Always a treat to catch a fresh release. Visit your nearby fantastic public library and get the Chess, Stax, plus punk, hillbilly, world music all kinds of big box sets anthologies 🎶🎵

[@ericAlohaMoanaWaves]

this is awesome. makes me proud im polish😂🎶🙏🕊️🌅

[@melodymakermark]

Keith Richards has memory issues. I recall his attorney (can’t recall his full name but last name is Carter) taking Keith to task regarding some of Keith’s recollections about the night in Fordyce, AR when he and Ronnie wood got busted.

[@artemisXsidecross]

All memory is a kin the film Rashomon ‘directed and co-written by Akira Kurosawa. Starring Toshiro Mifune, Machiko Kyō, Masayuki Mori, and Takashi Shimura as various people who describe how a samurai was murdered in a forest, the plot and characters are based upon Ryunosuke Akutagawa's short story "In a Grove", with the title and framing story based on "Rashōmon", another short story by Akutagawa.’ Truth is much like time itself and relative to the observer, location, and state of mind.

[@barbaramichiels5503]

On an unrelated topic: you don't offer any merchandise for sale. If you offered a large coffee cup with a close up of your face on it, I would certainly purchase it. So would, I'm sure, many others. Just food for thought.

[@psaint60]

Don’t suppose Chuck borrowed Nadine’s name for his other woman chasing tune?

[@stonephilips9361]

Lots of folks got Rich during this period 😏

[@johndeere8594]

Howlin wolf said, I done sold a million records. And here I am,with my band freezing our asses off in a broke down old station wagon.Something ain’t right.