The Aristocrat Of Records

1940s-1950s label from Chicago, Illinois. Founders Charles and Evelyn Aron began Aristocrat around March 1947. Initially their partners were Fred and Mildred Blount and Art Spiegel. Around June of the same year Leonard Chess became an A&R man for the company. Later Leonard Chess bought a share of the firm, then bought the Blounts out. In December 1949, Leonard and Phil Chess bought out any remaining shares and became the sole owners. On June 3, 1950 they renamed the label Chess records. Aristocrat survived in its original form for about 3 years and an estimated 289 titles were released. Had the label numbered it's 78's consecutively there would be fewer discrepancies in it's discography. With an inconsistent numbering system, around the end of 1949, the old system fell apart and began all new releases until the name change into the old 400 series. Unsure if these were miscalculations or printing errors, but the first four issues, by Sherman Hayes, were numbered 1001 through 1004. The very next month, the same singles reappeared as 101 through 104. Later in 1947, a new 1001 appeared by Charles Samuels, another Samuels release on 1003 in 1948. Up through the end of 1948, the label was in the habit of creating a new number series for each new artist, in the order that the material was recorded. Around the beginning of 1949, the artist series began again, with major, unexplained gaps. Active from 1947 to about 1951 producing mostly blues, jazz and R&B 78 RPM records (some pop, polka, gospel and C&W as well). For unofficial releases - please use The Aristocrat Of Records (2)