King Records (United States)

American record label, active 1943–1968

King Records was an American label founded in 1943 by Syd Nathan in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. The label owned several divisions, including Federal Records, which launched the career of James Brown. It released original material until 1975.

Initially King specialized in country music, at the time known as hillbilly music. King advertised, "If it's a King, It's a Hillbilly – If it's a Hillbilly, it's a King." One of the label's hits was "I'm Using My Bible for a Road Map" by Reno and Smiley. Important recordings in this field were done by the Delmore Brothers and Wayne Raney. The Delmores and Moon Mullican played a country boogie style that was similar to rockabilly. Several King artists, such as Bill Beach, are in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. Queen Records was the "Race Records" division of King Records and was also owned by Syd Nathan. It was founded in 1943 and was eventually folded into King. King also owned Federal Records, which launched the career of James Brown. The label hired Ralph Bass and recorded R&B musicians such as Hank Ballard & The Midnighters, Roy Brown, Valerie Carr, Champion Jack Dupree, Ivory Joe Hunter, Joe Tex, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, and Otis Williams and the Charms. King had a long legal suit against James Brown after he repeatedly violated his contract with the company. King bought De Luxe Records (in 1952) and Bethlehem Records (in 1962). In 1951, Federal Records made the crossover of an R&B record into the white pop music charts with Billy Ward and the Dominoes' "Sixty Minute Man" (Federal 12022). It reached number 17 on the Billboard pop chart and number 1 in the R&B chart. King mixed the country and R&B sides of the label. Many of its country singers, such as Moon Mullican, the Delmore Brothers, Hawkshaw Hawkins, and Zeb Turner, covered the label's R&B songs, such as "Grandpa Stole My Baby", "Rocket to the Moon", "Bloodshot Eyes", and "I Got Loaded". R&B artists recorded country songs, such as Bubber Johnson's "Keep a Light in the Window for Me". During the 1950s, King distributed portable phonographs. King Records was unique among the independent labels because the entire production process was done in house: recording, mastering, printing, pressing and shipping. This gave Nathan complete control, and a record could be recorded one day and shipped to radio stations the next day in quantities as small as 50. For that reason, King records that did not sell well are now rare. Seymour Stein, a co founder of Sire Records, interned at King Records as a high school student in 1957 and 1958 and worked for King from 1961 to 1963. When Nathan died in 1968, King was acquired by Hal Neely's Starday Records and restarted as Starday King Records. The songwriting team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller bought the label in 1970 but sold it soon afterwards to LIN Broadcasting, which in turn sold it to Tennessee Recording & Publishing (owned by Freddy Bienstock, Hal Neely, Leiber and Stoller), which sold it to Gusto Records in 1974. In 1971, James Brown's recording contract and back catalogue were sold to Polydor Records. Now owned by the city of Cincinnati, it approved the formation of the King Records Legacy Committee which is working on revitalizing the historic site and explaining its history.

The King 500 Series of 12 inch LPs were released between 1956 and 1959. Catalog No. Album Artist Details500The Best of Bostic501Tiny Bradshaw502Moondust503 Earl Bostic for You 504Organ Reveriesalso released as Giant Organ Magic505A Concert of Cool Jazz Quartet506Modern Jazz Expressionsalso released as Modern Jazz507House Party508Mood Indigo509Favorite Organ Solosalso released as George Wright Plays Hotsy Totsy Organ510Jazz for Happy Feet and Band511Love Is Here to StayShura at the Piano512Shura at the PianoShura and His Trio 513All Star Rock and Roll RevueVarious Artists514Hot Doggett515Altotude516 Showcase Trio517Orchids in the Moonlight and the Society Orchestra518Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland519AmenWings Over Jordan Choir520Lonesome Road521In the Evening by the Moonlight and Orchestra522Borrah Minevitch and the Harmonica Rascalsreleased on DeLuxe label523As You Desire Me524Free for All Trio525Dance Time 526Jazz with a Horn527Billy in the Lion's Den Leo Parker Quartet528After HoursVarious Artists529Let's Dance with Earl Bostic530Big Jay in 3 Dreissue of Federal label LP531Everybody Dance the Honky Tonk532Dame Dreaming 533A Salute to Ellington 534Yiddish Songs and Betty Reillyreleased on DeLuxe label also released as Mink Shmink (As Long As You're Healthy)535Something Old Something NewInk Spots536Rock'n Roll Dance PartyVarious Artists537All Time Country and Western HitsVarious Artists538Rag Beat539Triple Threat540Piano VariationsVarious Artists541Their Greatest Hitsreleased on the Federal label542This Is Lorez and the King Fleming Quintet543Adventure with Charlie544The Jones Girl Etta Sings, Sings, Sings545Dance Music for Mom and Dad546Meet John Puckett and His Piano 547Invitation to Dance with Bostic 548Billy Ward and His Dominoes featuring Clyde McPhatter and His Dominoesreleased on the Federal label 549The Plattersreleased on the Federal label550Sacred Songs and Red Smiley551Sacred Songs552Instrumentals by Don Reno and Red Smiley, Red Smiley and the Tennessee Cutups553Cowboy Copas Sings His All Time Hits554Grandpa Jones Sings His Greatest Hits555Moon Mullican Sings His All Time Greatest Hits556Favorite Sacred SongsVarious Artists557Doggett Beat for Dancing Feet558C'mon and Dance 559Clyde McPhatter with Billy Ward and His Dominoes with Billy Ward and His Dominoesreleased on the Federal label560Deep RiverWings Over Jordan Choir561Jazz Goes Ivy League Trio Plus Three562Square Dance Music / Fiddlin' Linvilles / Curly Fox563Candle Glow564Fever565Lorez Sings Pres: A Tribute to Lester Young566Jazz with a Beat567Sacred SongsSwanee River Boys568Moody Blues: Play Only After Midnight569Come Home570Otis Williams and the Charms Sing Their All Time Hits and the Charms571Bostic Rocks 572Spirituals Volume 1Swan's Silvertone Singers573Spirituals Volume 2Spirit of Memphis Quartet574Spirituals Volume 3Four Internes575Spirituals Volume 4Swan's Silvertone Singers576Spirituals Volume 5Various Artists577Spirituals Volume 6Spirit of Memphis Quartet578Spirituals Volume 7Swan's Silvertone Singers579Instrumentals and Ballads and Red Smiley580Dedicated to YouThe "5" Royales581The Midnighters Volume Two582Swingin' Easy and His Orchestra583Bostic Showcase of Swinging Dance Hits 584Swingin' Flute585Dance Awhile with Doggett 58616 Favorites Volume 1587Hawkshaw Hawkins Volume 1588Songs of the Hills589Songs by the Delmore Brothers590Sixteen Sacred Songs Volume 2Brown's Ferry Four59116 Favorites Volume 259216 Favorites Volume 2593Steve Lawrence594Boyd Bennett595Bonnie Lou Sings!596Talk to Me597Alto Magic in Hi Fi: A Dance Party with Bostic 598Golden Years in Hi Fi599Big Beat Jazz

The King 1000 series was released between 1966 and 1970. Catalog No. Album Artist Details1002Wolf at Your Doorreissue of Fraternity LP100425 Years of R & B HitsVarious Artists100524 Great SongsHomer and Jethro100625 Years of Country & Western Hits By 24 Great ArtistsVarious Artists100724 All Time Great Christmas Songs and the Caroleers100825 Years of Popular MusicVarious Artists1009The Happy Jazz of Osie Johnsonreissue of Bethlehem BCP 661010James Brown Sings Christmas Songs1011Hank Marr Plays 24 Great Songs, His Organ and Combo1013The Best Loved Sacred Songs of the Carter Family1014Spectacular Instrumentals and Bill Napier1016James Brown Sings Raw Soul1017Gospel and Sacred SongsMoore and Napier1018Live at the Garden1019Jim Mover and the Moving Acapulco Brass and the Acapulco Brass1020Cold Sweat10211968: Brand New Vocal Country and Western SongsMoore and Napier1022Live at the Apollo, Volume II1023All Time Hit Sacred and Gospel SongsVarious Artists1024James Brown Presents His Show of Tomorrow / Vicki Anderson / James Crawford / Marva Whitney / Hank Ballard / Bobby Byrd1025Sounds from the Marr Ket Place1026Rhythm and Blues: 18 All Time King HitsVarious Artists1027Country and Western: 18 All Time King HitsVarious Artists1028Brand New Country Songs and the Clinch Mountain Boys1029A Variety of New Sacred Gospel Songs, Bill Harrell and the Tennessee Cutups1030I Can't Stand Myself When You Touch Me1031I Got the Feelin'1032Over the Sunset Hill and the Clinch Mountain Boys1033All the Way to Reno, Bill Harrell and the Tennessee Cutups1034James Brown Plays Nothing But Soul1036The New Sound of Bob Kames1037Keep on Praying1038Thinking About Little Willie John and a Few Nice Things 1039Merry Christmas1040A Soulful Christmas 1041Take Your Shot1042Living Legend of Country Music1043Lonesome 7 72031044I Know You're Married (But I Love You Still)Reno and Smiley1045Sentimental Journey1046How Far to Little Rock?1047Say it Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud1048Harlem Nocturne1049Tragic Romance1050Radar BluesVarious Artists1051Gettin' Down to It 1052You Can't Keep a Good Man Down1053I Sing Soul with James Brownunissued1054At Home and at Church1055The Popcorn 1056Pattern My Life Singers1057Burden to the LordSkylight Singers of New York1058Thank YouOriginal Calvary Singers1059Hideaway1060Travelin' to California1061Greasy Spoon1062It's My Thing1063It's a Mother 1064The Country Side of Arthur Prysock1065Fastest Five Strings Alive1066Where the Soul Trees Grow1067The Lord Is My Shepherd1068I'm Using By Bible for a Roadmap and Bill Harrell1069Hills of Home and the Clinch Mountain Boys1070Do You BelieveGospel Ettes1071Journey to the Moon: The Flight of Apollo 11 and Bob Dunnavant1072Bare Facts1073Pass the Apple, Eve: Part 21074In a Nutshell1075Paris Soul Food1076Precious LordHarmonizing Four1077This Is the Right TimeInstitutional Church of God in Christ1078Honky Tonk Popcorn1079Live and Lowdown at the Apollo1081Free at Last1082Messin' Around with the Blues1083Tomorrow Night1084Blues for Everybody1085Moanin' and Stompin' Blues1086Good Rockin' Blues1087Cherry Red Blues1088Fly My Love1089We Need Time1090The Best of the Delmore Brothers1091The Best of Reno and SmileyReno and Smiley1092Ain't It Funky 1093His HandsStars of Virginia1094A Soldier's Plea1095It's a New Day – Let a Man Come In 1096The Tokyo Happy Coats Live1097The Nearness of You1098Faded Picture Blues / Ralph Willis1099Beau Dollar

The King 1100 series was released between 1970 and 1973. Catalog No. Album Artist Details1100Soul on Top1101Ram Bunk Shush1104Sentimental Mood1105Good Ole Bob Doing This Thing1106World's Greatest Gospel Organist: His Last and Greatest Contribution1107Nobody But You1108Soft1109Live in New York1110Sho' Is Funky Down Here1111Movin' Up with the Gospel Winds1112This Good Life1113New Black Magic1114Lord Here I Am Singers1115Sex Machine1116Alive and Well and Living in A Bitch of a World and His C. C. Riders1117Happiness Is Piano RedPiano Red1118I Need Help1119Have a HeartHeart1120Children of the Mist1121Rev. Abraham Swanson and the Bibleway Church Choir and the Bibleway Church Choirreissue of King LP 7361122SwampwaterSwampwater1123EstablishmentEstablishment1124Hey America1125Forevermore1126These are the J. B. 'sunissued1127Super Bad1128Count Your Many Blessings1129Jesus Knows1130Hard Luck Blues1131Days Passed and Gone1132I Cried HolySwan's Silvertones1133Risky BluesVarious Artists10 inch record1134Unforgettable1135Matinee Idol1136Hank and Lewie Wickham with Johnny Dagucon, Lewie Wickham and Johnny Dagucon1137James Brown Live In Paris: Love, Power, Peacescheduled to be James Brown's final album for King Records but was cancelled when his new contract with Polydor went into effect1138Patti Kimunissued?1139In Memory of Robert Johnson and Friends1140Manuel and the Music of the MoviesManuelreissue of 1970 Columbia LP1141Manuel and the Music of the MountainsManuelreissue of 1970 Columbia LP1145JealousLittle Royal1146The Coasters on Broadway