[Dixielandjazz] Copyright

[G. William Oakley]

In the time period you are referencing the copyright periods were for 28
years.  You could copyright a work for 28 years and then you had one year to
renew for another 28 years.  This in effect gave you 57 years of protection.
Created material belongs to you from the moment of conception but the
problem always lies in protecting it if you have not gone through the
copyright process.  These laws have changed in the recent past and are
entirely different but I thought I should quote in a historical perspective.
Best
Bill
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Gunter" <jazzboard at hotmail.com>
To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>; <dingle at baldwin-net.com>
Sent: Monday, July 21, 2003 10:22 AM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Seeking 1925 music of Sugar Foot Stomp


> As usual, Brother Don, you cut right to the center of the mystery on the
> date of copyright. By the way, that brings up a question. A copyright has
a
> certail life  . . . x number of years. I don't know 'zactly what it is but
> whatever it is when does it start? Does it begin with the moment of
> oonception (in the case of Dippermouth that would be 1923 but in the case
of
> Sugarfoot that would be 1925). Does that put the expiration date of the
> copyright in a two year fuzzy area?
>
> Perhaps someone can clarify that for the rest of us.
>
> 1. How long is a copyright on a composition?
> 2. Does it start at the time of its creation or the time of a formal
> copyright?
>
> Respectfully requested,
>
> Bill "You think you know poverty - hah!" Gunter
> jazzboard at hotmail.com
>
>
> >From: "Don Ingle" <dingle at baldwin-net.com>
> >To: "Bill Gunter"
>
><jazzboard at hotmail.com>,<dickbkr at goon.org>,<dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> >Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Seeking 1925 music of Sugar Foot Stomp
> >Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2003 07:56:05 -0400
> >
> >The differece between your source saying 1923 and others' source of 1925
is
> >whether or not ASCAP gets a pice f the action in a royalty. Some of these
> >thngs were worked out and played for soe time before getting around to a
> >fomal copyright. Under commn law copyright, the creator owns all rights
at
> >the moment it is created. But legally it is stronger to have it formally
> >copyrighted in US copyright office since damages for infringement are
> >better
> >if you have the formal rather than common law copyright. My writng
> >(features, articles) are covered by publicatons who copywrite  pro forma,
> >and where they are published otherwise, I do an annual "bundle" volume
> >copywrite. This way, when I pass, my wife can collect my royalties and
> >continue to live a life of poverty the same as I have by being a
> >writer!<Grinsies>
> >Don (Pardon me, but that's mine) Ingle
>
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