Quote:

A business that acquired the IP rights does, so not even her heirs (if any) get a cent.



Sigh, I really don't get it Lawry. You're a businessman. "A business acquired the IP rights". How? THEY PAID FOR THEM. That means they're entitled to a return on their money just like you would be when you acquire any inventory for your business. You want that tune to be public domain? Why, when someone was obviously willing to pay for it? You could have bought it, maybe you should be looking for other old tunes that may be available for not too much money. Why don't you get that concept?
Also, we're not talking about personal use in your home or car. Of course there's no problem with practicing Bird's solos or anything like that. But if you record your version of Yardbird Suite and post it on the internet, big problem. You don't own the rights to do that.
And, you have no idea what songs get a second life many years later. I've seen tons of movies where some old classic song is the theme music. Mission Impossible is one example. Lalo Shifrin is still around but he's about 80. The Mission Impossible theme was basically dead property until those movies came out and resurrected it. I'm sure he been collecting royalties from reruns of the old TV show but I haven't seen that show listed anywhere for a long time so it probably wasn't much. But now with three huge movies? Happens all the time and not just with the big names so you can't say that music can't get more valuable after the writer's death.

Bob

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