Air Week: April 20-26, 2026

Imperial Records was a major player among the indie labels of the late 1940s and the entirety of the 1950s. Started in Los Angels in 1946 by Lew Chudd, a Canadian raised in Harlem, Imperial began filling the ethnic and cultural voids left by the majors at the time. Chudd knew there was a large market for Latino Music in America, so he headed to Mexico City and recorded some Mexican jump bands that sold very well. He then included square dance records which also racked up sales as now square dances could be held without callers. He began recording Rhythm & Blues in 1947 and by ’49, he had hired Dave Bartholomew to scout talent in fertile New Orleans. The Braun Brother had beat him to The Crescent City by recording Paul Gayten and Annie Laurie first, but with Bartholomew’s help, Chudd was able to sign Fats Domino, Smiley Lewis, Archibald and Jewel King, dominating the New Orleans R&B scene. This week, we continue our Imperial series with part six, focusing on Imperial’s R&B releases from the first half of 1955. We’re splitting 1955 up into 2 parts to really focus on this pivotal year for Imperial and the world of music in general. Rhythm & Blues was really hitting the mainstream in ’55 and beginning to get its new name, Rock ‘n Roll. Before Fats Domino crossed over later in the year, he enjoyed a few million-sellers in early ’55 with “Thinking Of Your” and “Don’t You Know.” He’d soon score one of the first true Rock n’ Roll hits a few months later with “Ain’t It A Shame.” Dave Bartholomew kept busy producing Fats’ records as well as putting out great singles from relatively unknowns like Joan Scott, The Hawks and Billy Tate. The Spiders continued to score hits in ’55 and Pee Wee Crayton was releasing some solid sides that unfortunately missed the national R&B charts. Matt The Cat keeps those records spinning as he features part six of the Imperial Records Story on this week’s “Juke In The Back.” 

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