Chess Records Cofounder Phil Chess Dead At 95

(Classic Rock) Pioneering blues and rock executive and Chess Records cofounder Phil Chess has died aged 95. His nephew Craig Glicken confirmed the news to the Chicago Sun-Times (via Rolling Stone), saying that Chess had passed away at home in Tucson, Arizona, and that he had been in good health.

Chess was born Fiszel Czyz in Poland in 1921 and immigrated with his family to Chicago in 1928. He co-founded Chess Records with his brother Leonard in 1950 after a stint in the army - a label that would go on to help artists including Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Etta James, John Lee Hooker and Willie Dixon

The label which specialized in 'race music' also signed Bo Diddley, Sonny Boy Williamson and Buddy Guy, with the pair also producing many of their artists' records. Read more here.