[Harp-L] Publishing licenses (was contact for Snooky Pryor? (from Chet)

[Tom Ball <havaball@xxxxxxx>]

RE: Snooky Pryor:

> I have been able to obtain Mechanical Licensing for two of them, but the
> third which is a song by Snooky isn't listed on the Harry Fox Agency web
> site. . . What now?!?
>
> I'm now trying to get in touch with Mr. Pryor to ask for his permission to
> use this song. I've done every sort of Google search and asked everyone I
know with no luck yet.
____

Hi Chet,

When you say you are covering a Snooky Pryor song I'm assuming that 
Snooky actually recorded it at some point for a commercial release? 
If so, you don't need his (or anyone else's) actual "permission" to 
cover it -- but you do indeed need the Mechanical License (which 
publishing companies are mandatorily required to grant, provided you 
later pay statutory royalties on units sold...)  But then you already 
knew that.

If Snooky wrote the song but it was never commercially released, then 
you DO need his outright permission.

In your Harry Fox search please be aware that the Harry Fox website 
often gets song titles (and their writers) mixed up and their data 
can be goofy.  If the song isn't listed by the title you know it as, 
try all the other various permutations of spelling -- it may just pop 
up.  If no luck that way, try searching by writer (rather than by 
title.) Run it for both "James Pryor" and "Snooky Pryor." (And then 
search again spelled "Prior.")

If no luck, you could then do further searches (in all the variations 
and permutations) on the BMI website; the ASCAP website; and the 
SESAC website.

If still no luck, try to find the LP or CD on which Snooky recorded 
the original -- it should have both the writer's and publisher's info 
listed (although the publishing company could easily be outdated...)

And of course if all else fails, Snooky could probably answer the 
publishing info question if you can locate him.

hope this might be helpful,

cheers,
Tom Ball
Santa Babs