Paradise Records was a
U.S. record label started by
Leon Russell in 1976. The company established offices in
Los Angeles. Paradise Records was the second record label company started by Russell. The first was
Shelter Records started by Leon Russell and
Denny Cordell that operated from 1969 to 1981. Shelter Records had 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. Russell remained with Shelter until 1976, when he and Cordell fell out. In a settlement, Cordell then became sole owner of the Shelter Records label and Russell then departed to start his own label, Paradise Records. Leon Russell had already received five US Gold records under Shelter Records. Paradise Records had a
recording studio in
Burbank, California and also made
music videos in the recording studio. Paradise Records was learning place for members of Concrete Blonde and Steve Ripley, both later started the country retro group,
The Tractors. Leon also took the First Church of God at Third and Trenton in Tulsa and transformed it into the
Church Studio. Church Studio still stands and is now home of
Steve Ripley and The Tractors. Paradise Records are currently made and distributed by
Warner Bros. Records. Leon Russell also released a few items on his own independent record label
Leon Russell Records, like
Hymns of Christmas, while other works were released on other labels like
Virgin Records.