Federal Records

Last updated
Federal Records
Founded1950
Country of originUnited States

Federal Records was an American record label founded in 1950 as a subsidiary of Syd Nathan's King Records and based in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was run by famed record producer Ralph Bass and was mainly devoted to Rhythm & Blues releases. The company also released hillbilly and rockabilly recordings from 1951 onward, e.g., "Rockin' and Rollin" by Ramblin' Tommy Scott on Federal 10003. [1] Singles were published on both 45 and 78 rpm speed formats.

Contents

Federal issued such classics as The Dominoes' "Sixty Minute Man", and "Have Mercy Baby" [2] as well as Hank Ballard & The Midnighters' "Work with Me, Annie" [3] which was opposed immediately by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) but went on to be an enormous hit. [4]

James Brown was touring with The Famous Flames when they were signed to Federal in 1956. The group's first Federal single, "Please, Please, Please," was a regional hit and eventually sold a million copies. [5]

Between 1962 and 1965 Freddie King, one of the three Blues "kings" (Freddie, B.B. and Albert), released a series of albums, mostly instrumentals, for Federal.

Johnny "Guitar" Watson was another artist on Federal Records. [6]

Selected discography

Singles

Catalog No.Release

date

US US

R&B

Single (A-side, B-side)Artist
12001 [7] Dec 19506"Do Something For Me"

b/w "Chicken Blues"

The Dominoes
10003Mar 1951"Rockin’ and Rollin'"

b/w "You Done Me Wrong"

Tommy Scott
12022 [8] May 1951171"Sixty Minute Man"

b/w "I Can't Escape From You"

The Dominoes
12055 [9] Dec 19518"Ring-A-Ding-Doo"

b/w "The Crying Blues"

Little Esther and Mel with the J. And O. Orchestra
1206819521"Have Mercy Baby"

b/w "Deep Sea Blues"

The Dominoes
12070 [10] 1952"Drill Daddy Drill"

b/w "Must Go Out and Play"

Dorothy Ellis
12114Dec 19523"The Bells"Billy Ward & His Dominoes
4"Pedal Pushin' Papa"
12169Apr 19541"Work with Me Annie"

b/w "Until I Die"

The Midnighters
12195Aug 19541"Annie Had A Baby"

b/w "She's The One"

The Midnighters
12200Oct 195410Annie's Aunt Fannie

b/w "Crazy Loving (Stay With Me)"

The Midnighters
12265 [11] Apr 1956"I'm Tore Up"

b/w "If I Never Had Known You"

Billy Gayles with Ike Turner's Rhythm Rockers
12258Mar 19566"Please, Please, Please"

b/w "Why Do You Do Me"

James Brown with the Famous Flames
12283 [12] Oct 1956"What Can It Be"

b/w "Gonna Wait For My Chance"

Jackie Brenston with Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm
12284 [13] Nov 1956"Flaming Love"

b/w "My Baby's Tops"

The Gardenias
12297 [14] May 1957"Do You Mean It"

b/w "She Made My Blood Run Cold"

Ike Turner & His Orchestra
12337Oct 1958481"Try Me"

b/w "Tell Me What I Did Wrong"

James Brown and the Famous Flames
12370May 1960337"Think"James Brown and the Famous Flames
8614"You've Got the Power"
12401Jan 1961295"Hide Away"

b/w "I Love the Woman"

Freddie King
12524Jul 1964"Uncle Willie's Got A Thing Goin' On"

b/w "Our Kind Of Love"

Willie Dixon and the Big Wheels

See also

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References

  1. "Federal". Rockin' Country Style. Archived from the original on 2013-02-01. Retrieved 2008-12-31.
  2. Jim Dawson, & Steve Propes (1992). What Was the First Rock'n'Roll Record. Boston & London: Faber & Faber. pp. 21–25. ISBN   0-571-12939-0.
  3. "Ralph Bass". rockhall of fame. Archived from the original on 2006-10-17. Retrieved 2006-11-08.
  4. Jim Dawson, & Steve Propes (1992). What Was the First Rock'n'Roll Record. Boston & London: Faber & Faber. pp. 76–79. ISBN   0-571-12939-0.
  5. "James Brown". history-of-rock. Retrieved 2006-11-08.
  6. Edwards, David; Mike Callahan (1998-01-10). "King/Federal/DeLuxe Story". Both Sides Now Pubs. Retrieved 2009-08-02.
  7. "Federal Records ad" (PDF). Billboard. December 16, 1950. p. 39.
  8. "Federal Records ad" (PDF). Billboard. May 12, 1951. p. 31.
  9. "R&B Records to Watch" (PDF). Billboard. December 8, 1951. p. 43.
  10. "45 discography for Federal Records". Globaldogproductions.info. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  11. "Reviews of New R&B Records" (PDF). Billboard. April 23, 1956. p. 60.
  12. "Reviews of New R&B Records" (PDF). Billboard. November 3, 1956. p. 50.
  13. "Reviews of New R&B Records" (PDF). Billboard. November 10, 1956. p. 136.
  14. "Reviews of New R&B Records" (PDF). Billboard. May 20, 1957. p. 150.