| Shelter Records | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Founder | Leon Russell Denny Cordell |
| Defunct | 1981 |
| Status | Defunct |
| Distributor(s) | Blue Thumb Records and Capitol Records |
| Genre | Various |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Location | Tulsa, Oklahoma and Los Angeles |
Shelter Records was a U.S. record label started by Leon Russell and Denny Cordell that operated from 1969 to 1981. The company established offices in both Los Angeles and Tulsa, Russell's home town, where the label sought to promote a "workshop atmosphere" with a recording studio in a converted church, adjoining houses for artists working at the studio, and other facilities.[1] The Tulsa recording studio was housed in the historic The Church Studio. Russell remained with Shelter until 1976, when he and Cordell fell out.[2] In a settlement, Cordell then became sole owner of the label, while Russell left to start his own label, Paradise Records.[3]
The Shelter Records trademark is owned by Teresa Knox of The Church Studio.
In addition to Russell, the label signed other talents, such as Tulsa Sound artists J. J. Cale, Dwight Twilley Band and the Gap Band, as well as Alan Gerber, Jesse Barish (of Jesse, Wolff and Whings), Don Nix, Freddie King, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Phoebe Snow, Richard Torrance and Eureka, Willis Alan Ramsey, and the Grease Band.[4]
Shelter Records also released "Duppy Conqueror", the first American single by reggae artist Bob Marley.[5][6]
- ^ Bob Kirsch, "3-Year-Old Shelter has 2 home bases", Billboard, November 10, 1973.
- ^ Irwin Stambler, Grelun Landon, Lyndon Stambler, Country Music: The Encyclopedia (St. Martin's Press, 2000), ISBN 978-0-312-26487-1, p.424. Excerpt available at Google Books.
- ^ "Leon Russell founded Shelter Records in the '70s and, with it, a local scene". Thomasconner.info.
- ^ "Leon Russell". Leonrussellrecords.com.
- ^ "Denny Cordell, 51, Record Producer", New York Times, February 25, 1995.
- ^ "Remembering Leon Russell". Pastemagazine.com. November 15, 2016.