Listermann Brewing company is using the summer of 2018, building up to the 75th anniversary of local King Studios to celebrate not just King Records, but the musicians that made them who they are.  I think you know how they are celebrating too… in the best way Listermann knows, with beer releases!  Each month this summer leading up to September’s ‘King Records Month’ The brewery will be honoring musicians with a new release – which I will of course showcase right here!

The series will feature artwork from We Have Become Vikings – and 10% of the proceeds from each release will go right to King Studios… onward with the releases!!!

May – Hops, Hops, Hops

Hops, Hops, Hops is a NE IPA featuring El Dorado, Citra and Centennial hops, with showcases flavors of Oranges, Peaches and Pears packed into a juicy, IPA.

The label reads:

‘Mr. Hops’ who is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential musicians of the 20th century.  He spent the formative years of his career on King Records in Evanston, Cincinnati.  Producing some of his biggest hits.  He played a major role in the development of Funk, Soul, and Hip Hop. – 1986 Rock and Hops Hall of Fame inductee

June – Fas Foot Phil/Cincinnati Lou

June’s release is a NE IPA brewed with El Dorado and Simcoe hops.  The beer is easy going and drinkable with bright bursts of intense candied fruits like mango, pear and cherry.

The artwork on this can honors two musicians, drummer Philip Paul and guitarist Merle Travis who both helped to shape the sound of American music.

July – Hearts of Stone/Daddy O

How about a NE IPA Brewed with Centennial, Skyrocket and Zythos?  Coming right up for the July release!

This beer features two singers that had big hits for King Records in the 1950s. Withrow High School alum Otis Williams and his group The Charms topped the R& B charts in 1954 with “Hearts of Stone.” The song also got to #15 on the Pop charts, making the Charms one of the first black groups to cross over to white audiences. The late great Bonnie Lou became one of the first Country artists to cross over into Rock and Roll with “Daddy-O” which went to #14 on the Billboard chart in 1955.

August – Hide Away/Train 45

This NE IPA is brewed with El Dorado, Centennial and Belma Hops.

King Records created an impressive catalog of bluegrass music in the 1950s and 1960s.  Arguably, the most important bluegrass artists on the label were The Stanley Brothers, who combined elements of old-time music with new music styles.Carter Stanley, the main songwriter, played guitar and sang lead, while his brother Ralph played banjo and sang in a high tenor voice. Their harmonies produceda distinctive, haunting tone. In eight years, from 1958 to 1966, they released 15 albums on King, 

This month’s beer name is a tip of the hat to the days when King Records would release a vinyl 45 record with a hit song on each side. In 1961, Freddie King’s “Hide Away”reached number five on the R & B chart and then crossed over to the Pop chart, reaching number 29. “Train 45” was the flip side of the Stanley Brothers’ very first single for King, released sixty years ago in fall 1958. 

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