Federal Album Discography

Federal Album Discography (1954-1971)
by David Edwards, Mike Callahan and Patrice Eyries
Last update: August 24, 2012

Federal was a subsidiary of King Records in Cincinnati. It was founded by Syd Nathan in 1950. A&R was by Ralph Bass.

Federal is one of the more sought-after labels by collectors. It was the home of Billy Ward & His Dominoes, with either Clyde McPhatter or Jackie Wilson, Hank Ballard and the Midnighters (nee Royals), and of course the king of them all, James Brown with his Famous Flames.

Federal put out albums sparingly, as the discography below attests. There was one 1958 album issued in stereo, but there were also several 1959 true stereo singles, with two known by James Brown and the Famous Flames. The first was "I've Got to Change"/"It Hurts to Tell You" [Federal S-12352] and the second was "Good Good Lovin'"/"Don't Let It Happen To Me" [Federal S-12361]. Both stereo singles were issued with blue labels with silver print.

The Federal label, as we noted above, is highly collectable and therefore it has been extensively bootlegged and counterfeited, and all manner of fakes abound. "Real" Federal albums tend to be pricey, so be careful when buying (study the actual labels and covers shown below). The albums below not listed as bootlegs are the only known legitimate pre-1975 Federal albums.

Since Gusto now owns the label name, they can legitimately put out CDs or LPs with the Federal imprint, and have done some reissuing of Federal materials, but always with the Gusto name also so as not to be confused with originals.

The Federal label for the 10-inch albums (far left) was green with silver print, with two thin concentric rings around the label intersecting the label name at the top. The mono label used for the 500 series (near left) was black with silver print.

The only known stereo album before 1971 (far left) had a blue label with silver print. The 1971 PLP- 13000 series had an aqua blue label with silver print, similar to the single label shown at near left.

Federal released at least two stereo singles in 1959 by James Brown and the Famous Flames. The single shown at left has the first stereo recordings made and released by James Brown. Both sides of the single are true stereo.

We would appreciate any additions or corrections to this discography. Just send them to us via e-mail. Both Sides Now Publications is an information web page. We are not a catalog, nor can we provide the records listed below. We have no association with Federal Records, which is currently owned by Gusto. Should you want to contact Gusto, or should you be interested in acquiring albums listed in this discography (which are all out of print), we suggest you see our Frequently Asked Questions page and Follow the instructions found there. This story and discography are copyright 1998, 1999, 2012 by Mike Callahan.

FEDERAL ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY

Cover	Number - Title - Artist - [Release Date] Contents
	Federal Albums in the King 295-1 (10-inch LP) Series:
	Federal 295-90 - The Midnighters Sing Their Hits - Midnighters [1954] Issued with a Federal label, may have been reissued with a King label. Work With Me Annie/Moonrise/Sexy Ways/Get It//Annie Had A Baby/She's The One/Annie's Aunt Fannie/Crazy Loving (Stay With Me)
	Federal 295-93 - Progressive Sounds - Gerald Wilson [1955] Issued with a Federal label, may have been reissued with a King label. Lotus Land, Parts 1 & 2/Algerian Fantasy, Parts 1 & 2///Romance/Black Rose/Mambo Mexicana, Parts 1 & 2
	Federal 295-94 - Billy Ward and His Dominoes - Billy Ward & His Dominoes [1955] Issued with a Federal label, may have been reissued with a King label. Sixty Minute Man/Do Something For Me/Have Mercy Baby/Don't Leave Me This Way//The Bells/I'd Be Satisfied/.These Foolish Things Remind Me Of You/When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano
	Federal 295-96 - Big Jay McNeely - Big Jay McNeely [1955] Issued with a Federal label, may have been reissued with a King label. Big Jay Shuffle/3-D/Nervous Man Nervous/The Goof//Mule Milk/Hot Cinders/Ice Water/Whipped Cream
	Federal Albums in the King 395-500 (12-inch LP) Series:
	Federal 395-530 - Big Jay in 3-D - Big Jay McNeely [1956] Original issue was on the Federal label with a Federal cover, with his name spelled "Big Jay". Later reissued as King 650 with the name changed to Big "J". The Goof/Ice Water/Big Jay Shuffle/Rock Candy/Whipped Cream/Hod Cinders//3-D/Hardtack/Nervous Man Nervous/Mule Milk/Let's Work/Beachcomber
	Federal 541 - Their Greatest Hits - Midnighters [1957] Original issue was on the Federal label with Federal cover, and a picture of the group on the cover with a red background. Work With Me Annie/Moonrise/Sexy Ways/Get It/Switchie Witchie Titchie/It's Love Baby (24 Hours A Day)//Annie Had A Baby/She's The One/Annie's Aunt Fannie/Crazy Loving (Stay With Me)/Henry's Got Flat Feet/Tore Up Over You
	Federal 541 - Their Greatest Hits - Midnighters [1958] Second issue was on the Federal label with Federal cover, and a picture of the group on the cover with a yellow background. Work With Me Annie/Moonrise/Sexy Ways/Get It/Switchie Witchie Titchie/It's Love Baby (24 Hours A Day)//Annie Had A Baby/She's The One/Annie's Aunt Fannie/Crazy Loving (Stay With Me)/Henry's Got Flat Feet/Tore Up Over You
	Federal 548 - Billy Ward and His Dominoes featuring Clyde McPhatter - Billy Ward & His Dominoes [12/57] Original issue was on the Federal label with a Federal cover. Reissued in 1961 as King 733 with a new King cover and label. Tenderly/Over The Rainbow/Learnin' The Blues/When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano/Harbor Lights/These Foolish Things//Three Coins In The Fountain/Little Things Mean A Lot/Rags To Riches/May I Never Love Again/Lonesome Road/Until The Real Thing Comes Along
	Federal 549 - The Platters - Platters [12/57] Original issue was on the Federal label with a Federal cover. Reissued in 1959 as King 651 with a new King jacket and label. Only You/Hey Now/I Need You All the Time/Maggie Doesn't Work Here Any More/You Made Me Cry/Tell The World//Voo Vee Ah Bee/Give Thanks/Shake It Up Mambo/Love All Night/I'll Cry When You're Gone/Roses Of Pacardy
	Federal 559 - Clyde McPhatter with Billy Ward and His Dominoes - Billy Ward & His Dominoes [1958] Original issue had a yellow King cover with a Federal label record. There is a picture of dominos on the cover. (Can anyone confirm if there was actually a Federal cover?) Reissued in the late 1950s with a yellow King cover and a King label record. Sixty Minute Man/Do Something For Me/That's What You're Doing To Me/Deep Sea Blues/Pedal Pushin' Papa/Don't Leave Me This Way//Have Mercy Baby/I Am With You/Chicken Blues/Weeping Willow Blues/Love Love Love/The Bells
	Federal/King 561 - Jazz Goes Ivy League - Johnnie Pate Trio Plus Three [6/58] This was King's first stereo record release, released in late June, 1958, and is the only known stereo album on Federal before the restart of the label in 1971. Stereo information is unavailable but presumed to be true stereo. Although the stereo record had the King logo on the front and back of the jacket (the mono version had no logo on the front), it had a Federal label. The stereo Federal label is blue. Front cover title is in yellow lettering, although there are copies known with white lettering. Nita/Blues For The Ivy Leaguer/Que Jay//Currant Jelly/Karen/Soulful Delight
	Federal 565 - Lorez Sings Pres: A Late Session at an Intimate Club; A Tribute to Lester Young - Lorez Alexandria [1/58] Issued with a King jacket and a Federal label; it may have been reissued with a King label. Intro/Fine & Dandy/Fooling Myself/D.B. Blues/You're Driving Me Crazy/Easy Living//Polka Dots & Moonbeams/No Eyes Blue/This Year's Kisses/There Will Never Be Another You/Jumpin' With Symphony Syd
	Federal 581 - The Midnighters, Volume Two - Midnighters [1958] This record exists with a Federal label, but all copies with a Federal label seem to be in a King cover. Has anyone ever seen a Federal cover? Reissue is on the King label. Open Up The Back Door/In The Doorway Crying/Oh So Happy/Let 'Em Roll/E Bosta Cosi/Stay By My Side//Daddy's Little Baby/Partners For Life/Is Your Love For Real/What Made You Change Your Mind/Let Me Hold Your Hand/Early One Morning
	Federal FLP-13000 Series (Distributed by Starday-King):
	FLP-13000 - People Are Together - Mickey Murray [5/71] Fat Gal/Try A Little Harder/Ace Of Spades/Going Back To Atlanta/I Wanna See My Baby/Money//People Are Together/The Buzzard/Explosive Population/Fever/I Found Out/I Don't Know Why
	Bootleg Albums:
	Federal 559 - Clyde McPhatter with Billy Ward and His Dominoes - Billy Ward & His Dominoes [197?] This is a 1970s bootleg. It has the Federal number at the top of the front cover. This would not be the way an original Federal cover would look; the logo on a real cover would be in the lower left. The record inside is a flimsy vinyl, not at all like the thick, inflexible vinyl that King/Federal used in the 1950s and early 1960s. The label is a green gold-top Federal, poorly printed. Federal never used this label for any of its albums. There are two extra songs at the end of each side. Sixty Minute Man/Do Something For Me/That's What You're Doing To Me/Deep Sea Blues/Pedal Pushin' Papa/Don't Leave Me This Way/When The Swallow Come Back To Capistrano/Harbor Lights//Have Mercy Baby/I Am With You/Chicken Blues/Weeping Willow Blues/Love Love Love/The Bells/I'll Be Satisfied/These Foolish Things
	Federal 571 - The Midnighters Sing Their Greatest Hits - Midnighters [197?] Bootleg with wrong catalog number and different track lineup with extra songs. Label is a silver-top Federal label, which was never used for albums, only singles. Cover photo is from an EP. Hello Miss Fine/I Feel That-A-Way/Sexy Ways/Don't Say Your Last Goodbye/Ashamed Of Myself/Work With Me Annie/I'll Be Home Some Day/Give It Up//Until I Die/Henry's Got Flat Feet/Why We Are Apart/Annie Had A Baby/Annie's Aunt Fannie/Partners For Life/She's The One/Tell Them

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		The Federal label for the 10-inch albums (far left) was green with silver print, with two thin concentric rings around the label intersecting the label name at the top. The mono label used for the 500 series (near left) was black with silver print.
		The only known stereo album before 1971 (far left) had a blue label with silver print. The 1971 PLP- 13000 series had an aqua blue label with silver print, similar to the single label shown at near left.
		Federal released at least two stereo singles in 1959 by James Brown and the Famous Flames. The single shown at left has the first stereo recordings made and released by James Brown. Both sides of the single are true stereo.