A Fool There Was

[Jeffrey Hildt]

>Gary Thompson notes, of the album THE FOOL:
>"The record was produced by Graham Nash--released by Mercury records, and BMI
>has publication rights. 

Just a detail, but BMI is a *performance* licensing organization, not a
music publisher.  They pay composers when their work is performed (on
the radio, live, etc.).  ASCAP is the other organization that does
this.  Neither of these is a music *publisher* which is the company that
owns the composition's copyright (which allows them to record and sell
records, print and sell sheet music, etc.).

A composer gets paid 
1. if his or her work is performed (BMI/ASCAP) 
and 
2. when the work is sold on record or sheet music (by the publisher who
collects as the copyright holder based on sales).

Incidentally, the performing artist only gets paid when a record sells,
not when it's played.  The composer gets paid on both occasions (but
much less than the artist for record sales).

In other words, BMI doesn't have *publication* rights to anything.