King Records (USA)

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King Records
Image:kingrecordslogo.gif
Parent company Gusto Records
Founded 1943
Founder Syd Nathan
Distributing label Gusto Records
Genre Country
R&B
Country of origin US
Official website http://www.gustorecords.com

King Records is an American record label, started in 1943 by Syd Nathan and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. At first it specialized in country music, at the time still known as "hillbilly music." King advertised, "If it's a King, It's a Hillbilly -- If it's a Hillbilly, it's a King."[1] One of the labels most important hits was "I'm Using My Bible for a Road Map" by Reno and Smiley.

The company also had a "Race Records" (African American) label, Queen Records and most notably Federal Records which launched the singing career of James Brown. In the 1950s, this side of the business outpaced the hillbilly recordings. King Records was highly successful after the hiring of Ralph Bass and recorded R&B artists like Valerie Carr, Roy Brown, Jack Dupree, Otis Williams & the Charms, Hank Ballard & the Midnighters, Ivory Joe Hunter and Johnny Guitar Watson. They also had a long legal battle with James Brown, after he repeatedly violated his King contract.[2] King also bought out several other record labels, including Deluxe Records (in 1952), and Bethlehem Records.

King Records logo from 78rpm record sleeve
King Records logo from 78rpm record sleeve

When Nathan died in 1968, King Records was acquired by Hall Neely's Starday Records and relaunched as 'Starday and King Records'. The legendary songwriting duo Leiber & Stoller bought the label in 1970, but sold it soon afterwards to Lin Broadcasting which in turn sold it to Gusto Records. In 1971, James Brown's recording contract and back catalogue were sold to Polydor Records. [3] Since 2001, Collectables Records has been remastering and reissuing the King Records catalogue.

Contents

  1. ^ http://www.history-of-rock.com/king_records.htm
  2. ^ name="allmusic">{{cite web name=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE67818DC49A57420EFB11E77FD9856D220F40DD4AB2A3C5253F8E43066B8076AB00DBADBCFAEF875B47FE3F624A55905D2C8FE2781&sql=11:42j97i4jg71r~T1 |title=James Brown Biography |publisher=allmusic |accessdate=2006-11-22 }}
  3. ^ http://www.bsnpubs.com/king/kingstory.html

 This article about a United States record label is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Records_%28USA%29"
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