Felsted Records began as a subsidiary of the UK Decca Records in July 1954 with music mainly in the jazz and dance band genres with recordings leased from the French Blue Star, Riviera and Classique labels. The label took its name from the village where Sir Edward Lewis, the head of UK Decca, lived.
Late in 1957, Felsted Records US opened in the USA operating from London Records' office in New York and was marketed as a pop label.
In 1958 Felsted was reinstated in the UK leasing US material contracted through its US office. Neither labels had much commercial success: the UK label was closed in 1960 and its roster transferred to London Records. Its only release of note was "Smokie", the first single by Bill Black's Combo, Black having been Elvis Presley's bassist.