Fellside Recordings

Fellside Recordings is a British independent record label founded in Workington, Cumbria, in 1976 by Paul Adams and Linda Adams. It began primarily as a folk label and developed a catalogue centered on British traditional music, contemporary folk, roots, archival recordings and specialist reissues. The company has remained closely associated with its founders, with much of the catalogue recorded, produced or overseen by Paul Adams. The label occupies an important place in the modern history of British traditional music. Alongside Topic Records, it is commonly regarded as one of the United Kingdom's longest-serving and most significant specialist labels in the field. Its releases have covered established traditional singers, instrumentalists, folk revival performers, younger contemporary artists and themed compilations that place songs within historical, regional or social contexts. The catalogue has included recordings by A. L. Lloyd, Peter Bellamy, Maddy Prior, Richard Thompson, Frankie Armstrong, John Kirkpatrick, Martin Carthy, Jez Lowe, Hughie Jones, Clive Gregson, Dr Faustus, Last Orders, Grace Notes, Bram Taylor, Fribo and 422, among others. Fellside also operates associated imprints and series. Jazz releases have appeared under the LAKE name, while children's recordings have been issued under the Small Folk identity. LAKE's roster and catalogue extend across traditional jazz, swing and blues-related repertory, including recordings connected with George Melly, Digby Fairweather, Ottilie Patterson, Phil Mason, John Hallam, Keith Nichols, Debbie Arthurs, Spats Langham and various British and international jazz ensembles. The label's activities therefore span more than a single folk subgenre, although folk and traditional music remain its defining area. A significant part of the business has involved preservation and reissue work. In 2004, Fellside began reissuing material from Record Supervision, a defunct jazz label. The programme brought recordings associated with Humphrey Lyttelton, Acker Bilk, Alex Welsh, Ken Colyer, Chris Barber, Terry Lightfoot, Sandy Brown and Archie Semple to new audiences. Fellside has also issued vintage jazz collections and recordings connected with the Dancing Slipper Jazz Club in Nottingham during the 1960s. Its Tradition Masters series has presented historically themed folk material, including songs about soldiers, canals, seasonal customs and regional repertoire. The label's catalogue has continued to circulate through physical and digital retail channels. Reference material has identified more than 130 titles still in print at one point, including artist albums, compilations, archival issues and double-CD sets. Its artists have received recognition through BBC Folk Awards, including nominations involving John Spiers and Jon Boden, Nancy Kerr and James Fagan, and Kirsty McGee. Fellside has also received awards from the Music Retailers Association, while LAKE has won a BT British Jazz Award and Paul Adams was nominated for a BBC Jazz Award. The company was publicly celebrated by BBC Radio in 2007 through a programme marking its first 30 years. Its reputation rests on specialist curation, long-term artist relationships, historical documentation and the maintenance of a substantial catalogue rather than on the scale or promotional machinery of a major label. Public reporting about criminal convictions involving founder Paul Adams has, however, created a serious reputational issue surrounding the label and its leadership. The available reference material does not establish a separate corporate restructuring or a definitive end to Fellside's operations.

Fellside Recordings was established in 1976 in Workington, Cumbria, by Paul Adams and Linda Adams. Paul Adams had previously performed semi-professionally with the Barry Skinner Folk Group during his teenage years, and the founders married in 1974. Their experience in folk performance and their interest in traditional music shaped the label's initial direction. The company began as a folk label at a time when specialist independent businesses were central to documenting the British folk revival and preserving older song traditions. Fellside's catalogue developed around English and British traditional music, but it was not restricted to historical recordings. The label also supported contemporary folk performers and issued albums by artists working within the wider roots, acoustic and singer-songwriter fields. Much of the recording and production work was handled by Paul Adams, giving the label a distinctive founder-led identity. Over time, Fellside expanded through related imprints and catalogue strands. Jazz recordings were issued under the LAKE name, and children's releases appeared under the Small Folk name. LAKE developed a substantial traditional-jazz catalogue involving performers such as George Melly, Digby Fairweather, Ottilie Patterson, Phil Mason, John Hallam, Keith Nichols, Spats Langham and several established British jazz bands. The combination of folk and jazz reflected the label's broader interest in historically important, performance-led music rather than a narrowly commercial genre strategy. Fellside also became known for thematic and archival projects. The Tradition Masters series presented material organized around subjects such as English regional repertoire, soldiers and war, canals, seasonal ceremonies and traditional song variants. These releases were more than ordinary artist albums: they used compilation and editorial framing to connect individual songs with social history and cultural practice. The company issued anthologies containing work by figures associated with the British folk revival, including Maddy Prior, Richard Thompson, Frankie Armstrong, John Kirkpatrick and Martin Carthy. In 2004, Fellside began reissuing material from Record Supervision, a jazz label that was no longer operating. The project restored or recirculated recordings associated with Humphrey Lyttelton, Acker Bilk, Alex Welsh, Ken Colyer, Chris Barber, Terry Lightfoot, Sandy Brown and Archie Semple. Other LAKE projects included vintage jazz collections and recordings from the Dancing Slipper Jazz Club in Nottingham during the 1960s. Specialist music coverage characterized the Record Supervision programme as an important British-jazz reissue undertaking. The label's cultural profile was reinforced by awards and broadcasting. In 2007, BBC Radio marked the company's 30th anniversary with a dedicated programme. Fellside artists received BBC Folk Award nominations, including John Spiers and Jon Boden, Nancy Kerr and James Fagan, and Kirsty McGee; two of the nominated acts were reported as winners. Fellside also received multiple Music Retailers Association awards. LAKE won a BT British Jazz Award, and Paul Adams received a BBC Jazz Award nomination. Fellside's catalogue has remained unusually durable for an independent specialist label. More than 130 titles were reported as still in print at one stage, spanning folk albums, traditional-song anthologies, contemporary roots releases, jazz recordings and reissues. The label is frequently discussed alongside Topic Records as one of the United Kingdom's longest-serving and most important labels for traditional music. The founders' continuing association with the business became a major reputational concern after Paul Adams was imprisoned in 2022 for historic sexual offences involving children. Later reporting described further proceedings and a 2026 conviction involving, among other matters, abuse of a young person who had been undertaking work experience at a studio. A further seven-year sentence was reported on 6 February 2026. The available sources do not establish whether ownership, management or catalogue administration changed after the convictions. Accordingly, the label's present operational status should be treated with some caution even though reference material describes it as continuing to be run by its founders.

• 2026

  Further conviction and sentence involving Paul Adams

  [4]BBC report on further Paul Adams conviction and sentencebbc.co.uk

  BBC reporting states that Paul Adams is convicted on further charges and receives an additional seven-year prison sentence.

• 2022

  Founder imprisoned for historic offences

  [2]Former teacher jailed for historic sexual offences involving childrennews.cumbria.police.uk

  Founder Paul Adams is jailed for historic sexual offences involving children.

• 2007

  BBC Radio anniversary programme

  [1]Fellside Recordingsen.wikipedia.org

  BBC Radio broadcasts a programme celebrating 30 years of Fellside Recordings.

• 2004

  Record Supervision reissues begin

  [1]Fellside Recordingsen.wikipedia.org

  Fellside starts reissuing recordings from the defunct Record Supervision jazz label through its LAKE activities.

• 1998

  Tradition Masters series begins

  [1]Fellside Recordingsen.wikipedia.org

  The label launches its Tradition Masters catalogue with a Johnny Collins collection and subsequently adds historically themed traditional-song compilations.

• 1976

  Fellside Recordings is founded

  [1]Fellside Recordingsen.wikipedia.org

  Paul Adams and Linda Adams establish Fellside in Workington, Cumbria, initially as a folk music label.

A specialist, heritage-oriented independent label focused on British folk traditions, roots music, archival preservation, traditional jazz and carefully documented catalogue reissues.

• Folk and traditional music · 1976

  Fellside folk catalogue

  The core Fellside catalogue covers British traditional song, folk revival artists, contemporary roots performers and acoustic music. Releases include artist albums, archival projects and compilations connected with performers such as Peter Bellamy, A. L. Lloyd, Jez Lowe, Dr Faustus, John Spiers and Jon Boden, Nancy Kerr and James Fagan, and Kirsty McGee.

• Traditional jazz and archival jazz

  LAKE Records

  LAKE is Fellside's jazz imprint, with a catalogue spanning British traditional jazz, swing, blues-related performances and historical reissues. Its releases include recordings associated with Humphrey Lyttelton, Chris Barber, Acker Bilk, Ken Colyer, Alex Welsh, George Melly, Digby Fairweather and other jazz performers.

• Children's music

  Small Folk

  Small Folk is the children's-recording identity associated with Fellside. The available reference material confirms the imprint's existence but does not provide enough detail to summarize its individual releases or current activity.

• Themed folk anthology series · 1998

  Tradition Masters

  Tradition Masters presents traditional music through curated historical themes. Known releases address English regional song, soldiers and war, canals, seasonal ceremonies and related cultural subjects, combining performances by individual artists with broader anthology programming.

• Jazz archival reissue series

  Vintage and Dancing Slipper jazz series

  These series preserve older traditional-jazz performances, including material associated with the Dancing Slipper Jazz Club in Nottingham during the 1960s. They form part of LAKE's broader historical-reissue programme.

• 2026

  Further convictions involving Paul Adams

  Further reporting stated that Adams was convicted in 2026, including an offence involving abuse of a young person on work experience at the studio, and received an additional seven-year prison sentence.

  Source

• 2022

  Paul Adams jailed for historic sexual offences

  Fellside co-founder Paul Adams was imprisoned for historic sexual offences involving children. The proceedings are directly relevant to the label because Adams was identified as its founder and continuing operator.

  Source

Read more

• 2004

  Expand into Record Supervision archival reissuesStrategy

  Background

  Record Supervision was a defunct jazz label whose recordings remained historically significant but were less readily available.

  Action taken

  Fellside used its LAKE imprint to reissue material associated with Record Supervision, including performances by leading British traditional-jazz artists.

  Aftermath

  The programme broadened Fellside's archival role and helped preserve a substantial body of British jazz recordings.

  Source

• 1976

  Establish a specialist folk labelStrategy

  Background

  The founders' involvement in folk performance informed their decision to create a label focused on traditional and folk music.

  Action taken

  Paul and Linda Adams founded Fellside Recordings in Workington and built a catalogue around folk, traditional song and related acoustic music.

  Aftermath

  Fellside became one of the United Kingdom's longest-serving independent labels associated with traditional music.

  Source

1. 1Fellside Recordingsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Former teacher jailed for historic sexual offences involving childrennews.cumbria.police.uk
3. 3Retired Workington teacher child abuse trialnewsandstar.co.uk
4. 4BBC report on further Paul Adams conviction and sentencebbc.co.uk
5. 5Fellside Recordings: Is the End Nigh?folkradio.co.uk
6. 6Landmarks - 30 Years of Fellside Recordingslivingtradition.co.uk