Episode #830 – Imperial Records, Pt. 3 – 1951-52

Air Week: March 30-April 5, 2026

Imperial Records, Pt. 3 – 1951-52

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 three, focusing on the last half of 1951 and all of 1952. Due to a disagreement with Lew Chudd, Imperial was without Dave Bartholomew for most of this period, but Fats Domino kept crankin’ out the hits with producer and songwriter Al Young, including his first R&B #1, “Goin’ Home.” Lil’ Son Jackson, T-Bone Walker and Big Jay McNeely released some great records during this period and Smiley Lewis had his first charting record with “The Bells Are Ringing.” Bartholomew returned to the fold in April of ’52 and produced some scorchers from Fats, Tommy Ridgley and a beautiful, obscure single with Allen Matthews. Matt The Cat keeps those records spinning as he features part three of the Imperial Records Story on this week’s “Juke In The Back.” 

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