[Dixielandjazz] Songs Free of Royalties - USA Copyright Law

[Stephen G Barbone]

The USA Copyright Law was revised in 1998 by the "Sony Bono Copyright  
Term Extension Act. Under that revision, here is a summary OF CURRENT  
USA COPYRIGHT LAW:

1) ALL songs registered before 1/1/1923 were protected for 75 years  
and are now in Public Domain.

2) Songs registered between 1/1/23 and 1/1/1978 are protected for 95  
years from copyright date. For these songs, the EARLIEST possible date  
of their becoming Public Domain is 2019. (Because protection runs  
through the END of the calendar year in which they expire and a 1/1/23  
copyright would expire on 1/1/48, but would still e protected until  
December 31, 2048 and thus become PD on 1/1/2049)

3) Songs created after 1/1/ 78 are protected for 70 years after the  
death of the author, or last surviving author. For these songs, the  
EARLIEST possible date of their becoming Public Domain  is 2048.

If anyone wants to see the Legal Jargon surrounding the above summary,  
go to:

http://www.pdinfo.com/pdf/circ15t.pdf

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband