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The Latest Breaking News from Chess Records

The photographer who shot 500 album covers for the likes of Bob Dylan and Barbra Streisand died at 41, then his legendary work vanished for decades. Don Bronstein's astonishing lost images make me ponder: what happens to our work when we're gone?

He shot 500 album covers and won a Grammy, but after he died, his work quietly disappeared

Digital Camera World

“The album took off like a rocket ship. It sold 100,000 right away, it was the biggest Muddy Waters album to date”: how Chess Records and Muddy Waters invented psychedelic blues with Electric Mud

In the late 60s, Chess Records persuaded legendary bluesmen Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf to hop on the psychedelic bandwagon – with mixed results

Louder

Legendary jazz vocalist Marlena Shaw dies at age 81

Marlena Shaw, renowned soul and jazz vocalist known for hits like California Soul, has passed away at the age of 81. Her iconic music and legacy will be re...

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Gerald Sims, Chess Records session guitarist heard on Jackie Wilson’s ‘Higher and Higher,’ dead at 83

Beside playing with many blues, soul greats, he also owned a music school and store near 79th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue where he gave Howlin’ Wolf guitar lessons.

Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago blues, rock ‘n’ roll landmark Chess Records definitely worth a visit

The building is a narrow façade now next door to a medical clinic and across the street from a parking garage, not too far from Soldier Field, Millennium Park and the Magnificent Mile.

Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago blues, rock ‘n’ roll landmark easily overlooked

On a nondescript stretch of South Michigan Avenue in Chicago is a little-known site that can transport music lovers back in time

The Independent UK

Pervis Spann, ‘the BLUES man,’ legendary Chicago disc jockey, dead at 89 of Alzheimer’s disease; (NEW: Public viewing, services)

Hired by Chess Records co-founder Leonard Chess at WVON-AM, his career spanned over 60 years. He was one of the ‘Good Guys’ — a group of DJs that also included Herb Kent.

Chicago Sun-Times

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"I was thinking I was going to go down in history as the man who killed Howlin' Wolf": What happened when English rock royalty worked with a real blues icon

Now revered as a linchpin moment in the history of the blues, Howlin’ Wolf’s 1970 London Sessions were recorded with Eric Clapton and various Stones and Beatles. This is the story, told by those who were there

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