Cobra Records was an independent record label that operated from 1956 to 1959. The label was important for launching the recording careers of Chicago blues artists Otis Rush

Otis Rush

Otis Rush is a blues musician, singer and guitarist. His distinctive guitar style features a slow burning sound and long bent notes...

, Magic Sam

Magic Sam

Samuel "Magic Sam" Gene Maghett was an American Chicago blues musician. Maghett was born in Grenada, Mississippi, United States, and learned to play the blues from listening to records by Muddy Waters and Little Walter...

, and Buddy Guy

Buddy Guy

George "Buddy" Guy is an American blues and jazz guitarist and singer. He is a critically acclaimed artist who has established himself as a pioneer of the Chicago blues sound, and has served as an influence to some of the most notable musicians of his generation...

 and "signaled the arrival of a new generation of [blues] artists and a new sound ... to be called the West Side Sound."

Cobra Records was started on Chicago's West Side in 1956 by Eli Toscano (a record store and television-repair shop owner) and Howard Bedno. When his previous record label, Abco Records, failed to generate much interest, Toscano approached Willie Dixon

Willie Dixon

William James "Willie" Dixon was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. A Grammy Award winner who was proficient on both the Upright bass and the guitar, as well as his own singing voice, Dixon is arguably best known as one of the most prolific songwriters...

 about working for Cobra. Dissatisfied with his arrangement with Chess Records

Chess Records

Chess Records was an American record label based in Chicago, Illinois. It specialized in blues, R&B, soul, gospel music, early rock and roll, and occasional jazz releases....

, Dixon joined Cobra. There he served in many capacities, including talent scout, producer, arranger, songwriter, bassist and became "the artistic vision behind Cobra Records."

First to record for Cobra was Otis Rush. His single "I Can't Quit You Baby

I Can't Quit You Baby

"I Can't Quit You Baby" is a blues standard written by Willie Dixon and first recorded by Chicago blues artist Otis Rush in 1956. The song, a slow twelve-bar blues, has been recorded by various artists, including Led Zeppelin, who included it on their debut album.- Otis Rush version :"I Can't Quit...

" became a hit, spending six weeks in the Billboard R&B chart, where it reached #6 in 1956. Rush recorded another seven singles for Cobra, described as "defining moments of Chicago blues." In 1957, Magic Sam recorded his signature song "All Your Love" and released four singles on Cobra. Buddy Guy released two singles in 1958 on Cobra's Artistic Records subsidiary.

From 1956 to 1958, Cobra issued singles by a variety of acts, including Ike Turner

Ike Turner

Isaac Wister Turner was an American musician, bandleader, songwriter, arranger, talent scout, and record producer. In a career that lasted more than half a century, his repertoire included blues, soul, rock, and funk...

 and several blues veterans. However, by 1959 financial troubles overtook the company and it went out of business. Eli Toscano died in 1959 or 1967; Howard Bedno "went on to become one of the leading "indie" promotion men in the United States" (died 2006); and Willie Dixon returned to Chess and entered one of the most prolific periods of his career (died 1992). The Cobra catalogue was subsequently purchased by Stan Lewis of Jewel/Paula/Ron Records

Jewel Records (Shreveport record label)

Jewel Records was a record label founded in 1963 by Stan Lewis and based in Shreveport, Louisiana. It had two subsidiary labels, Paula and Ronn. The first of many retail record stores, called Stan's Record Shop, was opened in 1948...

. Most of the Cobra (and Artistic) recordings (including several alternate and outtakes) were released on The Cobra Records Story: Chicago Rock and Blues 1956-1958 (1993 Capricorn

Capricorn Records

Capricorn Records was an independent record label which was launched by Phil Walden, Alan Walden, and Frank Fenter in 1969 in Macon, Georgia.-First Incarnation:...

 9 42012-2).

Cobra Records

Number	Artist	Titles	Year
5000 *	Otis Rush Otis Rush Otis Rush is a blues musician, singer and guitarist. His distinctive guitar style features a slow burning sound and long bent notes...	"I Can't Quit You Baby I Can't Quit You Baby "I Can't Quit You Baby" is a blues standard written by Willie Dixon and first recorded by Chicago blues artist Otis Rush in 1956. The song, a slow twelve-bar blues, has been recorded by various artists, including Led Zeppelin, who included it on their debut album.- Otis Rush version :"I Can't Quit... " / "Sit Down Baby"	1956
5001	The Clouds	"Rock and Roll Boogie" / "I Do"
5002	Shakey Horton Big Walter Horton Walter Horton, better known as Big Walter Horton or Walter "Shakey" Horton, was an American blues harmonica player. A quiet, unassuming and essentially shy man, Horton is remembered as one of the premier harmonica players in the history of blues...	"Have a Good Time" / "Need My Baby"
5003	The Calvaes	"Fine Girl" / "Mambo Fiesta"
5004	Harold Burrage & His Combo	"One More Dance" / "You Eat Too Much"
5005	Otis Rush & His Band	"Violent Love" / "My Love Will Never Die"
5006	Sunnyland Slim Sunnyland Slim Albert "Sunnyland Slim" Luandrew was an American blues pianist, who was born in the Mississippi Delta, and later moved to Chicago, Illinois, to contribute to that city's post-war scene as a center for blues music...	"It's You Baby" / "Highway 61"	1957
5007	Lee Jackson	"Fishin' in My Pond" / "I'll Just Keep Walkin'"
5008	Gloria Irving	"I Need a Man" / "For You and Only You"
5009	Duke Jenkins Orchestra	"Something Else" / "The Duke Walks"
5010	Otis Rush	"Groaning the Blues" / "If You Were Mine"
5011	Willie Foster	"Crying the Blues" / "Little Girl"
5012	Harold Burrage	"Messed Up" / "I Don't Care Who Knows"
5013	Magic Sam Magic Sam Samuel "Magic Sam" Gene Maghett was an American Chicago blues musician. Maghett was born in Grenada, Mississippi, United States, and learned to play the blues from listening to records by Muddy Waters and Little Walter...	"All Your Love" / "Love Me with a Feeling"
5014	The Calvaes	"Born with Rhythm" / "Lonely Lonely Village"
5015	Otis Rush	"Love That Woman" / "Jump Sister Bessie"
5016	Clarence Jolly	"Changing Love" / "Don't Leave Me"
5017	Guitar Shorty Guitar Shorty Guitar Shorty is an American blues guitarist. He is well known for his explosive guitar style and wild stage antics. Billboard magazine said, “his galvanizing guitar work defines modern, top-of-the-line blues-rock. His vocals remain as forceful as ever...	"You Don't Treat Me Right" / "Irma Lee"
5018	Harold Burrage	"Stop for the Red Light" / "Satisfied"
5019	Betty Everett Betty Everett Betty Everett was an African-American soul singer and pianist, best known for her biggest hit single, the million-selling "The Shoop Shoop Song ".-Early career:...	"My Life Depends on You" / "My Love"
5020	Duke Jenkins Orchestra	"Where Can My Loved One Be" / "Shake It"
5021	Magic Sam	"Everything Gonna Be Alright" / "Look Whatcha Done"	1958
5022	Harold Burrage, Willie Dixon Willie Dixon William James "Willie" Dixon was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. A Grammy Award winner who was proficient on both the Upright bass and the guitar, as well as his own singing voice, Dixon is arguably best known as one of the most prolific songwriters...  Band	"She Knocks Me Out" / "A Heart (Filled with Pain)"
5023	Otis Rush with Willie Dixon Orchestra	"Three Times a Fool" / "She's a Good 'Un"
5024	Betty Everett	"Ain't Gonna Cry" / "Killer Diller"
5025	Magic Sam	"All Night Long" / "All My Whole Life"
5026	Harold Burrage & His Band	"I Cry for You" / "Betty Jean"
5027	Otis Rush	"It Takes Time" / "Checking on My Baby"
5028	Jimmy Kelly & the Rock-a-Beats	"Little Chickie" / "Bonnie"
5029	Magic Sam	"Easy Baby" / "21 Days in Jail"
5030	Otis Rush & His Band	"Double Trouble" / "Keep on Loving Me, Baby"
5031	Betty Everett & Willie Dixon Band	"I'll Weep No More" / "Tell Me, Darling"
5032	Otis Rush & His Band	"All Your Love (I Miss Loving) All Your Love (I Miss Loving) "All Your Love " or "All Your Love" is a blues song written and recorded in 1958 by Chicago blues guitarist Otis Rush. It is "the best-known and most covered of Rush's [authored] songs", with versions recorded by several blues and other artists... " / "My Baby's a Good 'Un"
5033	Ike Turner Ike Turner Isaac Wister Turner was an American musician, bandleader, songwriter, arranger, talent scout, and record producer. In a career that lasted more than half a century, his repertoire included blues, soul, rock, and funk... 's Kings of Rhythm	"Walking Down the Aisle" / "Box Top"	1959

* Also issued as Chief

Chief Records

Chief Records was an independent record label that operated from 1957 to 1964. Best known for its recordings of Chicago blues artists Elmore James, Junior Wells, Magic Sam, and Earl Hooker, the label had a diverse roster and included R&B artists Lillian Offitt and Ricky Allen.Chief Records was...

 8000 in 1956

Artistic Records

Number	Artist	Titles	Year
1500	Charles Clark & Willie Dixon Band	"Row Your Boat" / "Hidden Charms"	1958
1501	Buddy Guy Buddy Guy George "Buddy" Guy is an American blues and jazz guitarist and singer. He is a critically acclaimed artist who has established himself as a pioneer of the Chicago blues sound, and has served as an influence to some of the most notable musicians of his generation...  & His Band	"Sit and Cry (The Blues)" / "Try to Quit You Baby"
1502	Shakey Jake Harris Shakey Jake Harris Shakey Jake Harris was an American Chicago blues singer, harmonicist and songwriter. Harris released five albums over a period of almost 25 years, and he was often musically associated with his nephew, Magic Sam....  & Willie Dixon Band	"Roll Your Moneymaker" / "Call Me if You Need Me"
1503	Buddy Guy & His Band	"This Is the End" / "You Sure Can't Do"	1959
1504	Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm	"(I Know) You Don't Love Me" / "Down and Out"

Abco Records

Number	Artist	Titles	Year
100	Arbee Stidham Arbee Stidham Arbee Stidham was an American blues singer and multi-instrumentalist, most successful in the late 1940s and 1950s....	"I'll Always Remember You" / "Meet Me Half Way"	1956
101	Herby Joe	"Smoke Stack Lightning" / "Dreamed (Last Night)"
102	Zona Sago's Modern Sounds	"Short Order" / "Jivin' at Random"
103	Freddie Hall & the Aces	"Can't This Be Mine" / "Playin' Hard to Get"
104	Louis Myers & the Aces The Aces (blues band) The Aces was one of the earliest and most influential of the electric Chicago blues band in the 1950s. Led by the guitarist brothers Louis and Dave Myers, natives of Byhalia, Mississippi, the brothers originally performed under the name The Little Boys; with the subsequent addition of harmonica...	"Just Whaling" / "Bluesy"
105	Rip-Chords	"I Love You the Most" / "Let's Do the Razzle Dazzle"
106	Morris Pejoe	"Screaming and Crying" / "Maybe Blues"
107	Arbee Stidham	"When I Find My Baby" / "Please Let It Be Me'"	1957