Delmark Records

Jimmy Johnson helped define the Chicago Blues of the 1960s and 70s with a series of live performances and recordings. Some of his best known songs were captured at Bob Koester's Delmark Records. Jimmy wrote several songs recorded by other artists and toured the world performing with the likes of...
Bob Stroger found himself on stage at a blues club as a teenager not sure exactly what to do. He had an electric bass in his hand and laid down the bass parts he heard on his Jimmy Reed records. The club owner told Bob there was much more to playing the blues than copying a riff. As he felt the...
Bob Koester was the founder of the Delmark label who began recording blues and jazz in 1953 in St. Louis. He later moved to Chicago where he helped define the music scene by recording artists such as Bud Powell, Donald Byrd, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Luther Allison, Magic Sam, Otis Rush, Sonny Stitt...
Eddy Clearwater was a teenager when he left Mississippi to live with his uncle in Chicago.  There he discovered his love for the blues.  As a guitarist, Eddy became a sought after session player in the area.  As a songwriter, Eddy added to the modern blues movement in the 1950’s with a string of...
Syl Johnson recorded a string of popular blues and R&B songs in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, which have been inspirational for generations of musicians.  Soul, funk and Hip-Hop artists have cited Syl and his style of playing as influences including Jay Z.  Over the years he performed with such icons...