SHORT TAKES : Chess Studios Made a Landmark

Chess Studios, where so much musical history was made that the Rolling Stones once used its address as a song title, was voted a landmark by the City Council.

The council voted unanimously to honor the two-story, brick and terra cotta building at 2120 S. Michigan Ave. where Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley and others made music together over the years. A celebration commemorating the 79-year-old building was scheduled June 7, timed in conjunction with the city’s annual blues festival.

The studio was home to recording sessions that gave American music a whole new sound in the 1950s. Berry recorded “Johnny B. Goode.” Howlin’ Wolf cut “Spoonful.” Diddley made “You Can’t Judge a Book by Looking at the Cover.” And Waters recorded “I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man.” The Rolling Stones took their name from Waters’ 1950 record, “Rolling Stone,” one of Chess’ first releases. In 1964, they recorded cuts for their “12 x 5” album at Chess, including the song “2120 South Michigan Avenue.”