Chicago Blues and Broken Promises: Life at Cadillac Records

If you've ever dipped a toe into the history of Chicago blues--or watched the 2008 movie Cadillac Records-- you've probably heard the nickname for Chess Records and wondered: Why Cadillac? What's a luxury car have to do with the blues?

Well it turns out the answer is equal parts flattery, frustration, and even folklore.

Back in the 1950s and 1960s, Chess Records was the heartbeat of the Chicago blues scene. Founded by Leonard and Phil Chess, two Polish-American brothers who owned a nightclub called the Macomba Lounge, the label became home to some of the biggest names in blues and early Rock and Roll--Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Etta James, Chuck Berry, Willie Dixon, and many more. If it had a groove and grit, chances are it rolled out of 2120 S. Michigan Avenue under the Chess name.

Phil and Leonard Chess were the head of the most successful blues label in the U.S. in the 1950s. Photo Henry Herr Gill.

Here's the legend: Leonard Chess had a reputation for "rewarding" his artists with shiny new Cadillacs instead of proper royalty checks. When a musician's record sold well, Leonard might toss them the keys to a brand-new car rather than a fair share of the profits.

To some, it felt like a generous gesture--after all, a Cadillac was the ultimate status symbol for a working musician in the 1950s. But to others, it was a way of keeping artists happy without actually paying them what they were owed.

So while Muddy and Wolf might be cruising around Chicago looking sharp in a brand-new car, the big money their music was earning often went straight into the Chess brothers' pockets. Thankfully, successful lawsuits in the 1970s by both artists for non-payment of royalties were settled.

If you've taken one of my classes before, you have heard this said many times, "This is nothing new." Leonard Chess wasn't the only record executive of that era who played fast and loose with royalties--it was practically an industry standard. Contracts were vague, accounting was creative, and blues artists--many of whom had little formal education or business experience-- often trusted record producers who didn't always deserve it.

Clockwise from the top left: Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Chuck Berry, and Etta James.

Still for all his flaws, Leonard Chess had an ear for talent and helping bring the blues to the mainstream. Without Chess Records, we might never have gotten Rock and Roll as we know it-- no Chuck Berry riffs, no Rolling Stones covers, no Eric Clapton trying to sound like Muddy Waters.

It's just one of those classic music-business paradoxes: exploitive, yet revolutionary.

The artists gave the world timeless music, Chess made a fortune, and everyone got a Cadillac-- just not necessarily the same kind.

So the next time you hear that nickname, "Cadillac Records," remember-- it wasn't a bad label, it was a lifestyle. Part celebration, part folklore, and pure American blues.

Do you have a favorite blues song or artist from the golden age of electric blues? Let me know in the comments below.

Have a great weekend.   Rob

TheRockandRollProfessor.com