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Parrot Records folded in 1956, but by that time, aware of his popularity in Chicago,
the Chess label had come calling in mid-1955, and J. B. signed for them. At the same
time they acquired the rights to all his Parrot recordings. Four singles were released

on the Chess subsidiary label, Checker, between 1956 and 1958, but none of them
achieved a chart placing.

Other recordings remained unreleased until appearing on an LP in the 1970s, and

he was usually backed by a small band that included such names as Willie Dixon,
and Robert Lockwood Jr. Rather than
record material written by Willie Dixon, as
most of the Chess artistes did at that time,

J. B. insisted on using all original songs,
although he did work with Dixon on ‘You
Shook Me’, although he never recorded the

song himself.

In 1958 he recorded one powerful single

for the Shad label, which featured Junior
Wells on harmonica.

The late 1950s and early 1960s were hard

times for the Chicago blues scene, with
major names without a recording contract,
and gigs drying up. J. B; who had been
running his own blues club - Club Lolease

- was forced to close down that particular
Rec. August 11, 1958 in Chicago, IL; J.B. Lenoir,
enterprise. He was unable to make a living
voc, g; Junior Wells, hca; Ernest Cotton, ts; Joe
from his music, so took whatever jobs he
Montgomery, p; Jesse Fowler, dr
could find, including a fairly long standing
one in the kitchens of the University of Illinois, in Champaign, Illinois, where he
remained until his death.

In 1958 he had left Chess, recorded the one Shad single, and was then out of contract
until 1960, when he was taken up by Vee Jay Records, but unfortunately they were
unable to provide him with another hit.

In mid-1960 the British blues archivist Paul Oliver was in Chicago, researching for
his book ‘Conversation With The Blues’, and as part of that he recorded J. B. talking
about his life, and playing some songs acoustically. Two of these, ‘Move To Kansas

City’ and ‘I Been Down So Long’ appeared on the Decca LP of the same title as the
book, and two other tracks, ‘Mojo Boogie’ and ‘I Don’t Care What Nobody Say’ were
released in the UK as a Blue Horizon single in 1966. I believe these were the first

recordings J. B. made as a solo artiste accompanying himself.

In 1963 J. B. recorded a haunting song called ‘I Sing Um The Way I Feel’, coupled

with ‘I Feel So Good’, which was released on the USA label. The song was apparently