- ISBN13: 9780252034688
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
King of the Queen City is the first comprehensive history of King Records, one of the most influential independent record companies in the history of American music. Founded by businessman Sydney Nathan in the mid-1940s, this small outsider record company in Cincinnati, Ohio, attracted a diverse roster of artists, including James Brown, the Stanley Brothers, Grandpa Jones, Redd Foxx, Earl Bostic, Bill Doggett, Ike Turner, Roy Brown, Freddie King, Eddie Vinson, and J… More >>
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Music-Producer-Pro
I guess people try to give a history on Syd Nathan’s King Records and although true, I feel a lot more information could have been added. There was no discography. The locations of all King branches and his Royal Plastics plants should have been included.This was a superficial job.
Rating: 3 / 5
Shame on the big boys for not having the guts to give music lovers what they wanted. The major recording labels tried to pretend that whites weren’t listening to black oriented music back in the forties and early fifties. Most music fans know Sam Phillips proved them wrong with his Sun Records in Memphis since that’s what launched Elvis Presley on the road to stardom. Far fewer ever heard of Syd Nathan whose King Records in Cincinnati played a major role in the growth of rhythm and blues into a widely accepted genre and also recorded major country stars on the day. King later was noted its two awesome bluegrass groups, the Stanley Brothers and Don Reno and Red Smiley. Besides the music, this book offers a look at a company whose behind the scenes workers were fully integrated in a city long known for its southern biases. Like many successful people, Syd Nathan was successful because of his keen sense of public taste and his hard work. His individualism also led to mistakes that held King and its artists back. The most important player in the King game was Henry Glover, an African-American who produced some of the outstanding country artists at a time when that was unheard of. His involvement in the recording of the Delmore Brothers classic “Blues Stay Away From Me” warned us that change was coming and rock’n'roll was just around the corner whether the establishment liked it or not. It’s good that the King story has finally been told. I think old Syd would like it.
Rating: 5 / 5
Though the King and Federal labels changed American culture and music in ways that many of us barely realize, I find it fascinating how rare it is to hear their names actually dropped these days… say in comparison to Chess and Stax… The reason perhaps, is alluded to in the book, when we realize that no matter how big the label got, really it was a one man operation – - the brain child of the flamboyant Syd Nathan… the label died with him, but a great deal of its stars, artists, producers and behind the scenes people when on to greater heights… at best, as hall-of-fame inductees, and at… well, most surprising to me… cast of Hee Haw membership (KING also produced “hillbilly” music.) – - Needless to say, as far as I’m concerned KING will forever be best remembered for: James Brown, Hank Ballard, Billy Ward and The Dominos, Earl Bostic and Bill “Honky Tonk” Doggett (without whom, I and any other Hammond player wouldn’t be playing the Hammond today, even with Jimmy Smith!)
As for my key criticisms of the book… it would have been great if the publisher got together with COLLECTIBLES (the folks who now have the rights to the King Catalogue) and issued a CD with listening material as well as interview excerpts (fancy thinking though) and although the writing is very good, the book is often repetitive and the narrative is fascinating and draws you in, but sometimes more has the tone of an enthusiastic collector who’s done his research and is simply walking you through his collection, rattling out informed facts in the process… at times there seems to be a slight lack of a cohesive narrative – - on the other hand, the author is a sober minded fact checker – - for example, often he’ll present the stories of the people he interviewed, but then mention the facts and probabilities behind their stories… in doing so, he manages to walk a great line between being “academically prudent” and a skillful story teller.
Some other comments:
Like many people, I discovered those old King records in a stack in my father’s basement… Their existence in my parents’ basement surprised me because my father never seemed like an R&B type, but he told me that his father had a store and a guy with a truck used to bring them, so eventually he wound up with the whole collection… The book tells the story of the truck – - and why it made King so unique. (My Grandfather ran a small store that sold pens and office equipment, so Syd Nathan must have had his local’s using their revolutionary self contained sales system to connect with fellow Jewish merchants – - not just the big record stories.)
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Another reviewer also pointed out the fact that an actual discography would have been nice… Still… why complain… at least someone got around to telling the story of raspy voice, cigar smoking temperamental yet visionary father figure Sid Nathan (who I first read about in James Brown’s great autobiography.)
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My all time favorite King recording, incidentally is Chris Columbus’s OH YEAH (featuring Johnny Hammond Smith on organ) – - and my favorite chapter is the one on white hipster Ralph Bass, who ran the subsidiary Federal label and who started out as a Bebop producer on Savoy.
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The number of people at the label who went on to become major record industry behind-the-scene movers, despite the traditional falling out with Sid was amazing…
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The book avoids the pitfall of making making it entirely the James Brown Show… though arguably their greatest legacy, the book offers equal play time to many of the artists, including the Country and Western ones who I never heard of but now have a sudden interest in.
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In conclusion… King lovers… lovers of classic blues, R&B, jump blues, country and Western, rock and roll and American music in general… your time has come… someone has finally gotten around to telling the story… now let’s hope for a big big big boxed set re-issue !
Rating: 4 / 5
Here are some of the DEEP roots of American music. Any label that can present both the Stanley Brothers and James Brown deserves a serious look and JHF has done a good job at explaining the story of King Records and the one man behind it – Syd Nathan. Now, Syd had a lot of help, as Fox explains, but he was the foundation of it all and one of the great characters in a business full of eccentrics. There are some chapters that are stronger than others, but the last one detailing the Meaning of King Records is some of the best and most informative writing about the music business that you’ll find anywhere. This chapter should be excerpted for any serious anthology of music writing. A very entertaining book and one that would be perfect for anyone looking to discover the roots of Americana. Highly Recommended.
Rating: 4 / 5
I could almost smell Syd’s cheap cigar and hear his raspy voice while reading this very informative and entertaining book ! While immersing myself in every chapter , I would listen to one of King’s recording artists on my turntable and pretend I was in the studio with Freddie, Ralph, Grampa and others.. Would recommend this to any lover of true American music…! Absolutely.. ! ! ” Shameless’ James
Rating: 5 / 5