Label Guide: Shelter

Shelter Records was started in 1968 by musician Leon Russell and producer Denny Cordell. The company was based in both Los Angeles and Tulsa, Oklahoma, the home town of Leon Russell. In 1976, Cordell then became sole owner of the label, while Russell left to start his own label, Paradise Records. In addition to Russell, Shelter recorded artists such as J.J. Cale, Dwight Twilley, The Gap Band, Freddie King, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and The Grease Band.

Shelter Records was originally distributed by Blue Thumb Records, then by Capitol from 1970 until 1973. When Shelter was sued by DC Comics for using their Superman logo on its labels, the company blacked out the logo for the remaining Capitol distributed releases until a new label design was introduced with the move to MCA Records for distribution in 1974.

Distribution continued to change frequently for Shelter albums, and many of the earlier album releases were reissued with a new distributor, often with a new catalogue number. ABC Records took over from MCA in 1975, but when ABC was bought by MCA, distribution was changed back. Some releases (Dwight Twilley) during the late 1970s were distributed by Arista Records, under a contract that lasted until 1981. In the United Kingdom, Shelter records were distributed by Island Records in the late 1970s. The Shelter Records story ended with the expiration of the Arista distribution deal in 1981.