Air Week: May 4-10, 2026
Imperial Records, Pt. 8 – 1956, Pt. 1
Imperial Records was a major player among the indie labels of the late 1940s and the entirety of the 1950s. Started in Los Angeles 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 eight, focusing on Imperial’s R&B releases from the first half of 1956. Fats Domino keeps the momentum going after breaking through to the Pop Charts in 1955 with “Ain’t It A Shame.” In early ’56, he scores with “Bo Weevil, “My Blue Heaven” and “I’m In Love Again” and will have the biggest hit of his entire career later in the year. Bobby Mitchell leaves to The Toppers to become a solo star and scores the only charting record of his entire career this year with “Try Rock and Roll.” Dave Bartholomew is behind Mitchell’s breakout record as well as 2 charting singles for Smiley Lewis the year and more great releases from The Spiders, who are now being billed at Chuck Carbo & The Spiders. Out in LA, Imperial is still making some great vocal group records with the Jewels and The Barons and Matt The Cat keeps those records spinning as he features part eight of the Imperial Records Story on this week’s “Juke In The Back.”
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