Zero to 180 – Three Minute Magic
This chronology of recordings issued on King Records and its associated labels documents the various Latin-American musical influences on King’s collective output, beginning in the late 1940s. .While Latin sounds have never been a driving force at King, it is nevertheless surprising to see the range of Latin musical styles
As George Lipsitz points out in the introduction to Johnny Otis‘s memoir Upside Your Head! Rhythm and Blues on Central Avenue, Otis was a central organizing figure in the Los Angeles rhythm & blues scene of the late 1940s and early 1950s — thus, a shrewd move on Syd Nathan’s
Soul singer Mickey Murray recorded only two full-length albums over the course of his career — one for SSS International, 1967’s Shout Bamalama & Super Soul Songs (the label’s first hit for Shelby Singleton), and the other, entitled People are Together, for King subsidiary Federal Records in 1970. People Are Together
Lowman Pauling (a.k.a., “El Pauling“) exchanges vocal lines with Royal Abbit (i.e., “The Royalton“), while also taking the time to squeeze off some stinging guitar licks on “Solid Rock” — recorded June 9, 1960 in Cincinnati at the King Studios: “Solid Rock” by El Pauling & the Royalton (1960) Lowman
King Records, who no doubt envied the massive success of “Tequila” by The Champs, did their level best to cash in, as Johnnie Pate‘s 1958 Federal 45 “Muskeeta” clearly demonstrates, with the flute (substituting for sax) as the lead instrument: “Muskeeta” by Johnny Pate (1958) Recorded in Chicago on March
This other one-off recording from 1957 – released on King subsidiary label, Federal – establishes a Cincinnati-New Orleans connection via musical artist, Little Mummy (i.e., Marvin Gauthreaux): “Where You At Jack” Little Mummy (1957) “Where You At Jack” and its flip side “Oh Baby Please” were both recorded in New
[For an update on the perilous status of the original King Records site, click here] A recent Cincinnati visit allowed me the chance to verify that the former King Records complex is still standing. But for how long? Polly Lucke, Zero to 180’s West Coast correspondent, recently brought to my
On March 12, 1956 drummer and vocalist, Billy Gayles, recorded “I’m Tore Up” at Cincinnati’s King Studios backed by Ike Turner and His Rhythm Rockers: “I’m Tore Up” Billy Gayles (1956) “I’m Torn Up” received a B from Cash Box (“an okay deck”), who characterized the song as a “middle
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