| 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. 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" as well as Hank Ballard & The Midnighters' "Work with Me, Annie" which was opposed immediately by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) but went on to be an enormous hit.
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.
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.
Selected discography
Singles
| Catalog No. | Release
date |
US | US | Single (A-side, B-side) | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12001 | 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 | May 1951 | 17 | 1 | "Sixty Minute Man"
b/w "I Can't Escape From You" |
The Dominoes |
| 12055 | 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 | 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 | 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 | Oct 1956 | "What Can It Be"
b/w "Gonna Wait For My Chance" |
Jackie Brenston with Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm | ||
| 12284 | Nov 1956 | "Flaming Love"
b/w "My Baby's Tops" |
The Gardenias | ||
| 12297 | 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 |
See also
References
- "Federal". Rockin' Country Style. Archived from the original on 2013-02-01. Retrieved 2008-12-31.
- 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.
External links
- King/Federal/DeLuxe Story by David Edwards and Mike Callahan
- Federal Records on the Internet Archive's Great 78 Project
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