King Record Company - King Records of Cincinnati

Lloyd Cowboy Copas, a native of Adams County, Ohio, sang on WLWs Boone County Jamboree and on WSMs Grand Ole Opry with Pee Wee Kings Golden West Cowboys. King Records signed him in 1945. The next year, he hit nationally with Filipino Baby. (Authors collection.)

Alton and Rabon Delmore, the influential Delmore Brothers, cut Hillbilly Boogie and Freight Train Boogie for King Records in 1946. Their expert songwriting and musicianship helped establish the labels fresh hillbilly sound. (Courtesy of Deborah Delmore.)

The Alabama natives were working as staff musicians at WLW when Syd Nathan signed them and gave their music a harder edge. By then, they were not newcomers to the music business. They had already played on the Grand Ole Opry and recorded for Bluebird and other labels. In 1949, they wrote and recordedin King Records own studiotheir biggest hit, Blues Stay Away From Me. (Authors collection.)

Alton (left) and Rabon Delmore were versatile enough to sing, write, and entertain on WLW. They joined fellow station employees Grandpa Jones and Merle Travis to round out the Browns Ferry Four, a gospel group that later recorded for King. The c. 1944 advertisement below, one of King Records earliest, shows a small sketch of the factory in Evanston and announces new country recordsthen called hillbillyfor Grandpa Jones, the Carlisle Brothers, Bill and Evalina, Hank Penny, and others. Note the stereotypical long-bearded hillbilly character and the smiling jukebox. In the early years of King Records, Nathan actively sought help from the jukebox industry to bring his records before the public. His slogan was If its a Kingits a hillbilly. Soon he would campaign to change the name to country music. (Right, authors collection; below, courtesy of Zella Nathan.)

Syd Nathan achieved a successful and complete career redo, the first of many for him, on the veteran Delmore Brothers. Alton (left) and Rabon started on Columbia Records in 1931, cutting four sides, and then joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1932. They performed on the air for seven years. They switched to RCA-Victors Bluebird label for the next nine years, cutting 20 sides a year. In 1940, when they were well-known performers, they moved to Decca Records, recording 25 sides that year. By the time they were accompanying shows on WLW Radio in Cincinnati, their recording career had declined. But Nathan had faith in them. He signed them to a long-term contract with his new King Records in 1944. After they hit with King, they went to work for Memphis radio station WMC. (Authors collection.)

Country singer Bob Newman sang with the Georgia Crackers of Columbus, Ohio, before signing as a solo artist with King Records. In 1950, King Records released his Cry Baby Blues and One and One Is Two, Baby. He later became known for truck-driving records. (Authors collection.)