New Recording Artist Checklist: What Every Artist Should Think About
Dallas-based music lawyer Tamera Bennett co-presented with music attorney Joe Stallone at the Dallas edition of Grammy GPS on the topic "Legal Considerations for Every Aspiring Artist."
Assembling Your Team
When do you need a manager, an entertainment attorney, a financial manager, publicist?
- Interview with entertainment attorney Dina Lapolt on hiring a manager, attorney, etc.
- Entertainment Attorney Kendal Minter chats about when to hire an entertainment lawyer.
- What You Really Need To Know About Managers And Talent Agents.
- Management Deals, The Basic Points.
- When Does a Band Need a Publicist, and How Do They Know Who To Choose?
Get it in writing -- Now
- Organizing Your Band as a Company: A Way to Protect Yourself and Keep Your Friends.
- What Happens When It Falls Apart? The "Sugarland" Partnership dispute.
- Internal Band Agreement 101
Protecting Your Most Valuable Assets: Trademark, Copyright, Right of Publicity
Trademark
- US Patent and Trademark Office
- Most bands should consider filing trademark applications in Class 009 for recording product and digital downloads; Class 041 for live performances; and Class 025 for clothing items.
- Trademark Basics Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.
- What's In a Name - A Band Name - Tamera Bennett published on GrammyPro
- Sly and the Family Stone Trademark Dispute
- From ABBA to ZZ Top All The Good Band Names Are Taken
Copyright
- US Copyright Office
- There is a copyright in a musical composition; and
- A copyright in the sound recording of a musical composition.
- Copyright arises the moment an original works is fixed into a tangible medium of expression.
- Who will own the songs? All the members of the band? Just the members that wrote the songs?
- Who will own the sound recordings? The band? The business entity formed by the band?
- Will you form a music publishing company?
- What performance rights organization will the songwriter's join ( BMI, ASCAP or SESAC ) for collection of public performance royalties of the songs?
- Has the artist, band, producer, label joined Sound Exchange for collection of digital performance royalties?
Right of Publicity
Separate and apart from the band name and the songs/hits of the band, the band members each have an individual "right of publicity" in their persona. Who controls that right? The band? The manager? This is a state law right. In Texas the right arises under common law, but is descendable by statute.
Paying For Stardom - Financing Your Career
- Fan Funded Deals
- How To Get Funding To Make Your Album
- Jill Sobule
- Using Social Media To Raise Awareness and ask for Pre-sales
- Record Deal --- A label is advancing the costs
- Investors
- Calling All Angels: How Investment Backers Can Finance A Demo Album
- Who's calling the shots?
- Is it an investment in one project or the whole career?
- Do you need to consider "securities law " issues?
- Musician/Artist Investor Checklist - by Tamera Bennett
Texas Music Office
- The link to the Texas Music Office will provide you a wealth of guidance on getting started in the music business. The information is not Texas-specific.
Suggested Books to Read
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