The Memory Train is traveling to the city of Chicago in 1945. There is a small office in the famed Jeweler’s Building at 35 East Wacker Drive. This would be the home of the first record label based in Chicago.

Mercury was the first post-war record label, cutting tracks less than a month after Japan’s surrender. From its start, Mercury covered a broad musical base encompassing blues, pop, jazz, country, polka and gospel. In the years to follow, they would include rhythm and blues, rock and roll, doo-wop, soul, funk and other genres.

In October 1945, Billboard magazine reported that Chicago’s potential as a recording center got a shot in the arm with the announcement by local plastic expert Irvin Steinberg stating that he would be running the company.

From the beginning Mercury had only Negro artists such as Bill Samuels and his Cats ’N’ Jammers, the Four Jumps of Jive, Sippie Wallace and Karl Jones, blues shouter Al Ammons, boggie pianist and half the team of Ammons and Johnson, and Bob Shaffner and his Harlem Hot Shots.

Mercury had clout because Green’s pressing plants in St. Louis and Chicago were among the first fully automated record manufacturing facilities. They would become the largest independent record manufacturer in the world, pressing over 1,000 records per month.

Most of Mercury’s early efforts focused on blues and the emerging form of R&B, as well as polka and “hillbilly.” They would eventually sign such great artists as Frankie Laine, Patti Page and Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson.

In 1947 Irving Green formally incorporated the growing company into four separate businesses: Olsen and Tilger Manufacturing, Record Distribution Inc., and the Mercury Radio and Television Co. Mercury Record Co. would be the sixth largest recording company.

In the late 1940s Mercury Record Co. developed a reputation for building young recording stars, and created the finest line of children’s records available.

One of Mercury’s blues superstars was Sam “Lightnin’ Hopkins.” He was born on March 15, 1912 in Texas and was unique with his song writing. It was said that he could write songs about anything and among the array of subjects of his songs were astronaut John Glenn, England’s Queen Elizabeth II, and several natural disasters including earthquakes and hurricanes. Throughout his career he steadfastly refused to be tied down to one record company and willingly cut tracks for any label that came up with the money.

Hopkins told one interviewer that he had been screwed out of royalties so often that he created his own economic survival plan which often entailed foregoing royalties altogether. However, he would insist on cash advances before he would sit down in front of a microphone.

Some of his hit songs were “Sad News from Korea,” “Let Me Fly Your Kite,” “Gone With the Wind,” “She’s Almost Dead,” “Ain’t It a Shame” and “Crazy ’Bout My Baby.” He passed away in 1982.

Gone But Not Forgotten Dept.: Last week, Tuskegee Airman captain Richard Macon died. What a wonderful man. I had known him since the early 1960s. He was my math teacher at Northern High School. He taught us how to become good students. He also taught us not to forget the people who taught us the importance of education.

Words of Wisdom: “I’m Black and I don’t feel burdened by it and I don’t think it is a huge responsibility. It is part of who I am and it does not define me.” – Oprah Winfrey

Until next time, I’ll plant U now and dig U later. Peace and chicken grease!

Hugh Burrell can be reached at (313) 872-3437 and hughburrell@aol.com.