Parent company Chess Records Genre Jazz, blues Location Chicago, Illinois Defunct 1965 | Status Inactive Country of origin U.S. Date founded 1955 Founders Leonard Chess, Phil Chess | |
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Albums At the Pershing: But Not fo, Jamal at the Penthouse, The Second Time Aro, A Night at the Vanguard, Flute 'n the Blues Artists Ahmad Jamal, Etta James, Sonny Stitt, Clarence "Frogman" Henry, Oliver Nelson | ||
Argo Records was a record label in Chicago that was established in 1955 as a division of Chess Records.
Originally the label was called Marterry, but bandleader Ralph Marterie objected, and within a couple of months the imprint was renamed Argo.
Although Chess was a blues label, the Argo division began to record jazz in 1955 and over decades attracted some big names: Gene Ammons, Kenny Burrell, Barry Harris, Illinois Jacquet, Ahmad Jamal, Ramsey Lewis, James Moody, Max Roach, Red Rodney, and Ira Sullivan.
Argo also recorded pop, blues, and calypso. Its first big hit was by Clarence "Frogman" Henry, whose song "Ain't Got No Home" came out in 1956. By 1960, rhythm and blues performers on the label included Etta James and the Dells.
Argo changed its name in 1965 to Cadet Records when the company discovered that an Argo Records already existed in the UK.