Rhythm and blues "Hearts of Stone" by the Charms made the top 20. At Chess Records in the spring of 1955, Bo Diddley's debut record "Bo Diddley"/"I'm a Man" climbed to number two on the R&B charts and popularized Bo Diddley's own original rhythm and blues clave-based vamp that would become a mainstay in rock and roll. At the urging of Leonard Chess at Chess Records, Chuck Berry had reworked a country fiddle tune with a long history, entitled "Ida Red". The resulting "Maybellene" was not only a number three hit on the R&B charts in 1955, but also reached into the top
Rhythm and Blues Foundation Rhythm and Blues Foundation The Rhythm and Blues Foundation is an independent American nonprofit organization dedicated to the historical and cultural preservation of rhythm and blues music. The idea for the foundation came in 1987 during discussions about royalties with entertainer Ruth Brown, entertainment attorney Howell Begle, and Ahmet Ertegün, the head of Atlantic Records. Ertegün provided a $1.5 million donation, and the foundation was officially established in 1988 in Washington, D.C. and in 2005 moved its offices to Philadelphia, P.A. The Foundation provides financial support, medical assistance and educational outreach through various grants and programs to support R&B and