The Full Story

Velvet Elk is a humble and tiny independent record label, orbiting somewhere in the vicinity of the rock-history lush East Village of New York City. Originally founded by Don DiLego for release and distribution of his 3rd album, “Photographs of 1971” in 2005, and following two releases by Beautiful Small Machines (Bree Sharp), the label has teamed with NYC singer-songwriter Jesse Malin (D Generation, St. Marks Social) for our next step forward. In early 2015 we will be pairing with the fantastic One Little Indian label on a couple Velvet Elk releases, including the long-awaited new Jesse Malin solo album in March. There are plans for a few singles and a couple additional artist announcements as we expand our roster in the coming year to reflect in the vibrant and sustaining music scene here in New York City…and beyond.

We seek to somehow, in the face of any use of common sense, create a home for artists we love and who aren’t necessarily “defineable”, at a record label that let’s them do the work that THEY want to do, at a time when NO ONE in their right mind would start a record label. Best of all, to do this along with people we love to hang out with!

Submission Policy

There is no Wizard of Oz curtain surrounding Velvet Elk Records, and if you have the ability to click the email links above, there is no stopping you from submitting a link to your music. That being said, we are a basement operation in the East Village of NYC, manned at random times, by a couple of fiscal deviants, so our ability to respond to your musical submission is in no way guaranteed. So please take no offense. And, you never know…