Federal Records | |
---|---|
Founded | 1950 |
Country of origin | United 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.
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]
Catalog No. | Release date | US | US | Single (A-side, B-side) | Artist |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
12001 [7] | Dec 1950 | 6 | "Do Something For Me" b/w "Chicken Blues" | The Dominoes | |
10003 | Mar 1951 | "Rockin’ and Rollin'" b/w "You Done Me Wrong" | Tommy Scott | ||
12022 [8] | May 1951 | 17 | 1 | "Sixty Minute Man" b/w "I Can't Escape From You" | The Dominoes |
12055 [9] | Dec 1951 | 8 | "Ring-A-Ding-Doo" b/w "The Crying Blues" | Little Esther and Mel with the J. And O. Orchestra | |
12068 | 1952 | 1 | "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 | ||
12114 | Dec 1952 | 3 | "The Bells" | Billy Ward & His Dominoes | |
4 | "Pedal Pushin' Papa" | ||||
12169 | Apr 1954 | 1 | "Work with Me Annie" b/w "Until I Die" | The Midnighters | |
12195 | Aug 1954 | 1 | "Annie Had A Baby" b/w "She's The One" | The Midnighters | |
12200 | Oct 1954 | 10 | Annie'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 | ||
12258 | Mar 1956 | 6 | "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 | ||
12337 | Oct 1958 | 48 | 1 | "Try Me" b/w "Tell Me What I Did Wrong" | James Brown and the Famous Flames |
12370 | May 1960 | 33 | 7 | "Think" | James Brown and the Famous Flames |
86 | 14 | "You've Got the Power" | |||
12401 | Jan 1961 | 29 | 5 | "Hide Away" b/w "I Love the Woman" | Freddie King |
12524 | Jul 1964 | "Uncle Willie's Got A Thing Goin' On" b/w "Our Kind Of Love" | Willie Dixon and the Big Wheels |
"Rocket 88" is a song that was first recorded in Memphis, Tennessee, in March 1951. The recording was credited to "Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats"; while Brenston did provide the vocals, the band was actually Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm. The single reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart.
"Shake, Rattle and Roll" is a song written in 1954 by Jesse Stone and first recorded that year by Big Joe Turner, whose version ranked No. 127 on the Rolling Stone magazine list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
The Crows were an American R&B singing group formed in 1951 who achieved commercial success in the 1950s. The group's first single and only hit, "Gee", released in June 1953, has been credited with being the first rock n’ roll hit by a rock and roll group. It peaked at position #14 and #2, respectively, on the Billboard magazine pop and rhythm-and-blues charts in 1954. Although Gee fell into the Doo Wop genre, and "was the first 1950s doo-wop record to sell over one million records" in that genre, some consider it as the first of the "rock n' roll records".
"That's All Right" is a song written and originally performed by the American blues singer Arthur Crudup and recorded in 1946. It was rereleased in early March 1949 by RCA Victor under the title "That's All Right, Mama", which was issued as RCA's first rhythm and blues record on its new 45 rpm single format.
Roy James Brown was an American blues singer who had a significant influence on the early development of rock and roll and the direction of R&B. His original song and hit recording "Good Rockin' Tonight" has been covered by many artists including Wynonie Harris, Elvis Presley, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Joe Ely, Ricky Nelson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Pat Boone, James Brown, the Doors, and the rock group Montrose. Brown was one of the first popular R&B singers to perform songs with a gospel-steeped delivery, which was then considered taboo by many churches. In addition, his melismatic, pleading vocal style influenced notable artists such as B.B. King, Bobby Bland, Elvis Presley, Jackie Wilson, James Brown and Little Richard.
Lloyd "Tiny" Grimes was an American jazz and R&B guitarist. He was a member of the Art Tatum Trio from 1943 to 1944, was a backing musician on recording sessions, and later led his own bands, including a recording session with Charlie Parker. He is notable for playing the electric tenor guitar, a four-stringed instrument.
"Tweedlee Dee" is a rhythm and blues novelty song with a Latin-influenced riff written by Winfield Scott for LaVern Baker and recorded by her at Atlantic Records' studio in New York City in 1954. It was her first hit, reaching number 4 on Billboard magazine's R&B chart and number 14 on its pop chart. It was Scott's first commercially successful song.
"Good Rocking Tonight" is a jump blues song originally released in 1947 by its writer, Roy Brown and was covered by many recording artists. The song includes the memorable refrain, "Well I heard the news, there's good rocking tonight!" The song anticipated elements of rock and roll music.
Jackie Brenston was an American singer and saxophonist who, with Ike Turner's band, recorded the first version of the rock-and-roll song "Rocket 88" in 1951.
"Sixty Minute Man" is an R&B record released on Federal Records in 1951 by the Dominoes. It was written by Billy Ward and Rose Marks and was one of the first R&B hit records to cross over to become a hit on the pop chart. It is regarded as one of the most important of the recordings that helped generate and shape rock and roll.
"Teardrops from My Eyes", written by Rudy Toombs, was the first upbeat major hit for Ruth Brown, establishing her as an important figure in rhythm and blues. Recorded for Atlantic Records in New York City in September 1950, and released in October, it was Billboard's number-one R&B hit for 11 non-consecutive weeks. It was Atlantic's first release on the new 45-rpm record format. The huge hit earned Brown the nickname "Miss Rhythm" and within a few months she became the acknowledged queen of R&B. "Teardrops from My Eyes" was her first of five number-one R&B hits.
Rudolph Toombs was an American performer and songwriter. He wrote "Teardrops from My Eyes", Ruth Brown's first number one R&B song, and other hit songs for her, including "5-10-15 Hours". He also wrote "One Mint Julep" for The Clovers.
"One Mint Julep" is a R&B song, written and composed by Rudy Toombs, that became a 1952 hit for the Clovers. The song has received over 100 cover versions, both with lyrics and as an instrumental.
"Lawdy Miss Clawdy" is a song by New Orleans singer-songwriter Lloyd Price that "grandly introduced The New Orleans Sound". It was first recorded by Price in 1952 with Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew during his first session for Art Rupe and Specialty Records. The song became one of the biggest selling R&B records of 1952 and crossed over to other audiences. "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" inspired many songs and has been recorded by a variety of artists.
"Work with Me, Annie" is a 12-bar blues song with words and music by Hank Ballard. It was recorded by Hank Ballard & the Midnighters in Cincinnati on the Federal Records label on January 14, 1954, and released the following month. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) immediately opposed it due to its overtly sexual lyrics, lyrics that had crossed over and were now being listened to by a white teenage audience. Because the record was in such demand and received so much publicity, attempts to restrict it failed and the record shot to number one in the US Billboard R&B chart, and remained there for seven weeks.
"Open the Door, Richard" is a song first recorded by the saxophonist Jack McVea for Black & White Records at the suggestion of A&R man Ralph Bass. In 1947, it was the number one song on Billboard's "Honor Roll of Hits" and became a runaway pop sensation.
"Honey Hush", is a blues song, written by Big Joe Turner, recorded in May 1953 in New Orleans, Louisiana, and released that August by Atlantic Records. It was a number-one song on Billboard's Rhythm and Blues chart for eight weeks.
"Have Mercy Baby" is a popular rhythm and blues song, written by Billy Ward and Rose Marks, recorded by The Dominoes in Cincinnati, produced by Ralph Bass, and released by Federal Records in 1952. It was Number One on the R&B Charts for ten non consecutive weeks.
"The Honeydripper " is an R&B song by Joe Liggins and his Honeydrippers which topped the US Billboard R&B chart for 18 weeks, from September 1945 to January 1946.
"The House of Blue Lights" is a boogie woogie-style popular song written by Don Raye and Freddie Slack. Published in 1946, it was first recorded by Slack with singer Ella Mae Morse and Raye.