Louis Jordan releases 'Choo Choo Ch'Boogie' — No. 1 for 18 weeks

Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five recorded 'Choo Choo Ch'Boogie' in January 1946, releasing it on Decca Records. The jump blues track reached No. 1 on the R&B charts and held that position for 18 weeks. Jordan's run of massive hits in the mid-1940s — combining humor, groove, and accessibility — made him the best-selling Black recording artist of the era and a direct precursor to rock and roll.