BMI Demands Tribute from Bix
To the Editor:
After dealing with just about everything at the Tribute to Bix fest for almost 30 years, music publishing rights and royalties jump up and try to bite me. BMI has now sent two contract proposals and left four phone messages regarding my obligations to provide composer and lyricist royalties for all tunes we perform at the fest that are controlled by them. They fully or partially own over 12 million selections.
Finding cheap and reliable legal help is not easy. The State of Illinois senior help legal group does not have the expertise, but are looking for somebody. Bad advice is everywhere. A local jazz society has been hit on by ASCAP and has held them off for awhile, but know it’s not over.
I’m a “schedule A licensee prospect” for “0.4% of gross ticket revenue” payments. Seems like a curious way of mixing percents and percentages as this is 2/5 of 1% or .004 times gross revenue. No matter. My cost might be in the annual $50 range for one event. However, BMI wants either that amount or $239 (currently), whichever is higher. I would forever be paying five or six times the actual royalties due. This does not seem right to me!
In over 65 years being involved in this music business as a fan or fest owner, I’ve never seen any articles nor had anyone approach me on this subject. Many people think public domain takes over.
