Ian Russell MBE (born 1947) is a British Folklorist, most noted for his research into singing traditions in the English Pennines.
Beginning in 1969, Russell has conducted extensive fieldwork in South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire, particularly on regional folksong and traditional drama.
Whilst working as a teacher, Russell undertook a part-time PhD through the Institute of Dialect and Folklife Studies, at the University of Leeds.
In 2013, Russell co-edited a published collection of papers from this conference, Taking Part in Music: Case Studies in Ethnomusicology.
[8] The Elphinstone Institute "specialises in the ethnology and folklore of Northern Scotland"[6] and whilst Director, Russell's broadened his research interests into the traditional cultures of North East Scotland, including sacred singing, flute bands in coastal communities and notions of festivalisation relating to community practice.