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Copyright Basics for Barbershoppers

Here's the latest information about Copyrights and the Law.

Copyright laws exist to encourage and protect creativity and expression of ideas. In order to do this, Congress has granted certain exclusive rights. This, in a sense, is the only way to guarantee that if you create something, in this case a song, you are entitled to the benefits of your creation.

The revised United States copyright law, which went into effect on January 1, 1978, gives certain exclusive rights to the copyright owner, who may be the writer of a song or someone who has been assigned ownership, such as a publisher or an estate, through contractual agreements. These rights are to: