The Recording
Hooker presented the song to local record store owner and producer Bernard Besman. Liking what he heard, Besman brought Hooker to United Sound Studios, located at 5840 2nd Ave. in Detroit, to record the track with Maurice King who later became Music Director at Motown. The arrangement is sparse, featuring Hooker's twangy electric guitar, raspy stuttering voice, and tapping foot keeping the beat.
Even though Besman had his own record label, Sensation Records, in order to get "Boogie Chillen" he licensed it to Los Angeles record label Modern Records.
On November 3, 1948, "Boogie Chillen'" was released nationally on the Los Angeles-based Modern Records label, coupled with "Sally May," as Modern 20-627. The former entered the Billboard R&B chart in January 1949, staying for 18 weeks and peaking at #1.
After the success of "Boogie Chillen'" John Lee Hooker signed on with numerous record labels including Chess and Vee-Jay. Later Hooker had another #1 hit on Modern with "I'm in the Mood".
Read more about this topic: Boogie Chillen'
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