Authority control databases
| 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 |
