Hi Anne.
To encapsulate this saga in a few words is hard...but, you did ask!
There once was (late 60's early 70's) a record label in the UK call "Leader" run by a folk music enthusiast (Bill Leader) who, very much against the trend at the time decided to record the best of the new artists around, along with what are referred to as "trad" Musicians (Billy Pigg springs to mind)
After many years, and many fine recordings, his company went bust.
All the product was acquired, eventually. by Mr Bulmer, and Celtic Music.
Since then..(Mid 80's) Most of the recordings of many of the artists have remained unavailable. Apart from a few home made CDR's popping up from time to time.
I don't think that people mind that Mr B owns the tapes. It's just that whenever a CDR of an old tape appears (the most notorious being Bright Phoebus, by Lal and Mike Waterson), no payments seem to be made to the artists concerned.
Whether this is illegal, or not, is for bigger minds than mine to work out, but, I think that a lot of people in the UK, and elsewhere feel that an injustice is being done to performers, who don't exactly earn a fortune anyway, but, have given a lot of pleasure to a lot of people.
As for Mr Sharpley, I know nothing other than I've read here.
But, I don't think I'd trust him to run my pension fund!

Hope the above helps

Best Wishes Jon H.