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. But also hillbilly and rockabilly recordings were released from 1951 onwards — e.g., Rockin' and Rollin by Ramblin' Tommy Scott on Federal 10003.
Singles were published on both 45 and 78 RPM speed formats. James Brown was touring with The 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. Federal also issued such classics as The Dominoes' "Sixty Minute Man", and "Have Mercy Baby" as well as Hank Ballard's "Work With Me, Annie" which was opposed immediately by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) but went on to be an enormous hit.
Between 1962 and 1965 Freddie King, one if 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.
Famous quotes containing the words federal and/or records:
“There are always those who are willing to surrender local self-government and turn over their affairs to some national authority in exchange for a payment of money out of the Federal Treasury. Whenever they find some abuse needs correction in their neighborhood, instead of applying the remedy themselves they seek to have a tribunal sent on from Washington to discharge their duties for them, regardless of the fact that in accepting such supervision they are bartering away their freedom.”
—Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933)
“Although crowds gathered once if she but showed her face,
And even old men’s eyes grew dim, this hand alone,
Like some last courtier at a gypsy camping-place
Babbling of fallen majesty, records what’s gone.”
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)