From: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org (mad-mission-digest) To: mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Subject: mad-mission-digest V10 #98 Reply-To: mad-mission@smoe.org Sender: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk * If you ever wish to unsubscribe, send an email to * mad-mission-digest-request@smoe.org * with ONLY the word unsubscribe in the body of the email * . * For the latest information on Patty's tour dates, go to: * http://www.pattygriffin.net/PattyInConcertDB.php * OR * go to http://www.atorecords.com * . * PLEASE :) when you reply to this digest to send a post TO the list, * change the subject to reflect what your post is about. A subject * of Re: mad-mission-digest V8 #___ gives readers no clue * as to what your message is about. * Also, PLEASE do not quote an entire digest when you reply to the * list. Edit out anything you are not referring to. mad-mission-digest Monday, August 14 2006 Volume 10 : Number 098 Today's Subjects: ----------------- MM: bmi and covering patty [Erin Smith ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 13 Aug 2006 12:07:58 -0400 From: Erin Smith Subject: MM: bmi and covering patty I'm a singer/songwriter who lives in a fairly remote part of Michigan. The local venues for live music performance have been completely terrorized by BMI's licensing fees and are basically discontinuing live music at their establishments unless the performer has all original music. I do have many originals, but want to play covers of my favorite singer/songwriters, people who aren't that well known and who I promote like crazy -- giving them credit, talking about their CDs, etc. -- Patty Griffin being one of my favorites in this regard. "Making Pies" and "Florida" are, in my opinion, two of the finest songs I know, and it is such a pleasure to share them with audiences who appreciate them. I don't make any money on these gigs; the places I play make a pittance. Of course I want Patty to earn every penny to which she is entitled for her wonderful songs. If I were to cover her on a CD, I would absolutely pay to do it. At the same time, what will happen to local music if no one has a place to play anymore? I'm extremely frustrated by this and wonder what rights the songwriter has as far as granting live performance permission for her work. For instance, why wouldn't Patty want to allow people to perform her songs live? Maybe I'm just stupid about this, but it seems like she would reap far greater benefits from the publicity and promotion than she would royalty checks from BMI and ASCAP (whose calculations about these types of payments rarely even include people who aren't played a lot on the radio). Argh. ------------------------------ End of mad-mission-digest V10 #98 *********************************