Federal Records was a subsidiary of
King Records.
The Federal subsidiary was formed in late 1950. At first, the label was used for West Coast black artists, but soon it was used as a vehicle for Billy Ward and the Dominoes, Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, and James Brown and His Famous Flames. The label was operated until the early ‘60s. The producers for Federal were
Johnny Otis and
Ralph Bass.