[Dixielandjazz] CD Royalties?

John Mumford john@jazzbanjo.com
Tue, 29 Oct 2002 22:00:32 -0700


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Dave,

You said you had no problem paying the royalties but it sounds like you =
don't want to.  I believe the legislation that passed recently puts a =
copyright 50 years beyond the life of the author not the published date. =
 The song Sweet Georgia Brown was written in 1925 and is listed by ASCAP =
as one of their top ten recorded songs.  This song is not in the public =
domain.

You need to research each song.  ASCAP and BMI have websites with search =
engines that let's you search for your song.  You must know the authors =
of the song or publisher because a song may be listed by someone who =
wrote an arrangement.  Anyone can copyright an arrangement of someone =
else's song whether it is public domain or not.  When this happens and =
you use the arrangement you pay royalties to both.

I have found most songs written before 1923 to be in the public domain =
and yes our band has paid royalties on every CD.  The money is paid to =
Harry Fox on a quarterly basis as CDs are sold and you don't pay up =
front for all 1,000 CDs.  On the average the royalties have amounted to =
about $1.00 per CD.

John Mumford
Jazz Banjo Magazine
Jazz Banjo Radio
www.jazzbanjo.com

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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Dave,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>You said you had no problem paying the =
royalties=20
but it sounds like you don't want to.&nbsp; I believe the legislation =
that=20
passed recently puts a copyright 50&nbsp;years beyond the life of the =
author not=20
the published date.&nbsp; The song Sweet Georgia Brown was written in =
1925 and=20
is listed by ASCAP as one of their&nbsp;top ten recorded songs.&nbsp; =
This song=20
is not in the public domain.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>You need to research each song.&nbsp; =
ASCAP and BMI=20
have websites with search engines that let's you search for your =
song.&nbsp; You=20
must know the authors of the song&nbsp;or publisher because a song may =
be listed=20
by someone who wrote an arrangement.&nbsp; Anyone can copyright an =
arrangement=20
of someone else's song whether it is public domain or not.&nbsp; When =
this=20
happens and you use the arrangement you pay royalties to =
both.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I have found most songs written before =
1923 to be=20
in the public domain and yes our band has paid royalties on every =
CD.&nbsp; The=20
money is paid to Harry Fox on a quarterly basis as CDs are sold and you =
don't=20
pay&nbsp;up front for all 1,000 CDs.&nbsp; On the average the royalties =
have=20
amounted to about&nbsp;$1.00&nbsp;per CD.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>John Mumford</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Jazz Banjo Magazine</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Jazz Banjo Radio</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><A=20
href=3D"http://www.jazzbanjo.com">www.jazzbanjo.com</A></FONT></FONT></DI=
V></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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