King Records Heritage Project in Cincinnati, Ohio

[woodward]

I recently learned of a local Cincinnati, Ohio collaborative project to rebuild an exhibit in Cincinnati to honor the former King Records studio which was active before Motown or Stax. Let's hope that they are successful in their efforts. Here is some additional information on the endeavour. Let's hope that they are successful in their efforts.

https://www.wcpo.com/news/transportation-development/move-up-cincinnati/local-committee-moving-forward-with-vision-for-king-records-building

[marv2]

I recently learned of a local Cincinnati, Ohio collaborative project to rebuild an exhibit in Cincinnati to honor the former King Records studio which was active before Motown or Stax. Let's hope that they are successful in their efforts. Here is some additional information on the endeavour. Let's hope that they are successful in their efforts.

https://www.wcpo.com/news/transportation-development/move-up-cincinnati/local-committee-moving-forward-with-vision-for-king-records-building

Thank you Woodward. I immediately remember all those 45 records my parents had from King. They had the navy blue background and the word KING in large silver letters on them. Many of them were by James Brown.

[lockhartgary]

Thank you Woodward. I immediately remember all those 45 records my parents had from King. They had the navy blue background and the word KING in large silver letters on them. Many of them were by James Brown.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if James Brown almost singlehandedly kept King records afloat during the 1960s.

[lockhartgary]

I recently learned of a local Cincinnati, Ohio collaborative project to rebuild an exhibit in Cincinnati to honor the former King Records studio which was active before Motown or Stax. Let's hope that they are successful in their efforts. Here is some additional information on the endeavour. Let's hope that they are successful in their efforts.

https://www.wcpo.com/news/transportation-development/move-up-cincinnati/local-committee-moving-forward-with-vision-for-king-records-building

Thanks for posting this.

[robb_k]

I wouldn't be at all surprised if James Brown almost singlehandedly kept King records afloat during the 1960s.
17336
He DID! And he was their only effective producer after 1964.

[lockhartgary]

17336
He DID! And he was their only effective producer after 1964.

Again, I am not surprised at all. James Brown did very well for himself at King records. How many other artists can say that they had their picture printed on the labels and had producer credits featured prominently on the label as well?

[kenneth]

That is fascinating! King Records was a real pioneer and the owner Syd Nathan recognized the value that rhythm and blues would bring to his catalog which started out in country and western. He was probably one of the earliest producers to record the first crossover artists, in fact he had entire albums devoted to R&B artists doing country songs and vice versa.

Next to Motown, King Records was my major collecting obsession. They have a lot of great unique music in their catalog. And some of their album covers are, well you can’t describe them. You’ve got to see them! But it was one of their major strengths that they had an entire operation from soup to nuts. They did the recording, the pressing of the vinyl and even produced the album cover art and everything else from start to finish. Very unique company.

[lockhartgary]

That is fascinating! King Records was a real pioneer and the owner Syd Nathan recognized the value that rhythm and blues would bring to his catalog which started out in country and western. He was probably one of the earliest producers to record the first crossover artists, in fact he had entire albums devoted to R&B artists doing country songs and vice versa.

Next to Motown, King Records was my major collecting obsession. They have a lot of great unique music in their catalog. And some of their album covers are, well you can’t describe them. You’ve got to see them! But it was one of their major strengths that they had an entire operation from soup to nuts. They did the recording, the pressing of the vinyl and even produced the album cover art and everything else from start to finish. Very unique company.

I was going to post about their amazing in-house start-to-finish setup but you said it so well.

By the way, there is a pdf file I found last year about King records and some of the artists and personnel. I'll try to find the download link and post it here.

[robb_k]

That is fascinating! King Records was a real pioneer and the owner Syd Nathan recognized the value that rhythm and blues would bring to his catalog which started out in country and western. He was probably one of the earliest producers to record the first crossover artists, in fact he had entire albums devoted to R&B artists doing country songs and vice versa.

Next to Motown, King Records was my major collecting obsession. They have a lot of great unique music in their catalog. And some of their album covers are, well you can’t describe them. You’ve got to see them! But it was one of their major strengths that they had an entire operation from soup to nuts. They did the recording, the pressing of the vinyl and even produced the album cover art and everything else from start to finish. Very unique company.
17338
That was pretty much the same for me. I've got over 2,000 King and its subsidiary label 45s [[King/Queen/Federal/DeLuxe/Bethlehem). It was right up at the top in R&B/Blues/Gospel/Jazz, and C&W from 1940-1965, along with Atlantic and Chess Records. For a long while, producers in Ohio, northern Kentucky, Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, southern and central Indiana all went to King in Cincinnati to record and have their records distributed.

[lockhartgary]

I was going to post about their amazing in-house start-to-finish setup but you said it so well.

By the way, there is a pdf file I found last year about King records and some of the artists and personnel. I'll try to find the download link and post it here.

I searched online for the pdf but it was nowhere to be found. I did turn up some hits of a book by the same name [["A King Records Scrapbook"). I will assume that the pdf was unauthorized.

[nativeNY63]

Wasn't Martha Washington a part of the JB/King Records family?

[robb_k]

Wasn't Martha Washington a part of the JB/King Records family?
17350
Marva Whitney was. I don't remember a Martha Washington among his productions. There was an Albert Washington on a Cincinnati Record label [[Fraternity Records) that was distributed by King. I stopped listening to the radio in late 1966, but I still bought Soul records until mid 1972, when I moved to The Netherlands. But, James Brown moved from King to Polydor near the end of the '60s, when King shut down their new production, and was sold, when Syd Nathan died. So, I was in USA most of the year [[all but 3 months), every year that James Brown worked for King. And I was working part time at a Soul record store in Southwest L.A., so If there was a Martha Washington having records released on King, produced by James Brown, I should remember her.

I know she couldn't have been George's wife, she'd have had to be 200 years old! And she was a secret Soul music fan? - something like Barbara Billingsley????

I see that Martha Wash [[of The Two Tons Of Fun and The Weather Girls) was a backup singer for James Brown. But she wasn't born until 1953, so, she was too young to have worked with him while he was still with King Records. She started singing professionally in the mid 1970s, some years after Brown moved over to Polydor). Was her original [[birth) name Washington?

[nativeNY63]

That's who I was thinking about Robb!
Martha Wash! Thanks for the correction.

[woodward]

I just discovered that a King Records Legacy Foundation is getting involved in the restoration of the Evanston HQ of King Records. The story indicates that King was the sixth largest record company in the late 1950's and employed 400 people. Fascinating isn't it?

https://www.citybeat.com/news/the-king-thing-inside-the-movement-to-save-king-records-the-cincinnati-studio-that-produced-decades-of-stars-and-hits-13808034

[Motown Eddie]

I just discovered that a King Records Legacy Foundation is getting involved in the restoration of the Evanston HQ of King Records. The story indicates that King was the sixth largest record company in the late 1950's and employed 400 people. Fascinating isn't it?

https://www.citybeat.com/news/the-king-thing-inside-the-movement-to-save-king-records-the-cincinnati-studio-that-produced-decades-of-stars-and-hits-13808034

Fascinating Indeed! Thanks for sharing this article about the King Records Legacy Foundation. As others already pointed out, King was a major label in the '50s & 60s that had many of the Greatest Artists in R&B, Doo Wop, Country & Soul Music.

[Graham Jarvis]

So glad at long last two "King Records" and my favourite James Brown 45 & two Northern Soul tracks!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHiFA_f1UCo

One other:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6LjaasJj3A