Federal Records American record label
Record label
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 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] rpm speed formats.
Federal issued such classics as the Dominoes ' "Sixty Minute Man ", and "Have Mercy Baby "[ 2] Hank Ballard & the Midnighters ' "Work with Me, Annie "[ 3] 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 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
References
↑ "Federal" . Rockin' Country Style. Retrieved 2008-12-31 .{{cite web }}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link )↑ 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 ↑ "Ralph Bass" . rockhall of fame. Archived from the original on 2006-10-17. Retrieved 2006-11-08 .↑ 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 ↑ "James Brown" . history-of-rock. Retrieved 2006-11-08 .↑ Edwards, David; Mike Callahan (1998-01-10). "King/Federal/DeLuxe Story" . Both Sides Now Pubs. Retrieved 2009-08-02 . ↑ "Federal Records ad" (PDF) . Billboard . December 16, 1950. p. 39.↑ "Federal Records ad" (PDF) . Billboard . May 12, 1951. p. 31.↑ "R&B Records to Watch" (PDF) . Billboard . December 8, 1951. p. 43.↑ "45 discography for Federal Records" . Globaldogproductions.info . Retrieved September 4, 2022 .↑ "Reviews of New R&B Records" (PDF) . Billboard . April 23, 1956. p. 60.↑ "Reviews of New R&B Records" (PDF) . Billboard . November 3, 1956. p. 50.↑ "Reviews of New R&B Records" (PDF) . Billboard . November 10, 1956. p. 136.↑ "Reviews of New R&B Records" (PDF) . Billboard . May 20, 1957. p. 150.
