Re: [ARSCLIST] ^ Letter on British Copyright Term Extension

[steven c <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Richter" <mrichter@xxxxxxx>
> Rod Stephens wrote:
> > Hello All,
> >
> > Here's one for you.  I was a member of a college choir in the '50s, and
> > recordings of our University Choir were given to Columbia Records for
> > five releases on Columbia Masterworks, Epic, and Harmony.  I didn't sign
> > anything, but does the University have the rights to the recordings or
> > what?
> >
> > Rod Stephens
>
> As I understand it, the contract is with the chorus as an entity. As a
> member of that entity, you have neither the right to a separate contract
> nor to any proceeds.
>
Actually, the current copyright owner(s) should have been identified as
such in the contract signed by the "artist" (if there was one!). It would
also depend on whether or not you were (or had to be) AFM members,
in which case the union rules/policies at the time would also affect
copyright ownership and royalties due (if any).

It is most likely that CBS signed a contract with the school, and payment
or royalties were due to the school, not to individual chorus members or
even the chorus as a group...

Steven C. Barr