Topic: What is the best way to handle this?

[dorrcoq]

Our local hospital has a cancer hospice.  As an on-going fund raiser they hold a coffee house night every second Friday, with an open mic for the first hour and a featured artist or duo for the second hour.  I went recently to record a friend of mine who did a solo blues set.  It turns out that the coffee house is organized by my Mom's couisin.

We talked briefly about recording and afterward I came up with the idea of going every time and taping all the acts.  I figured I could offer all of the open mic participants a copy of their performance, and also do the same for the featured performers.  I also proposed that maybe we could do a compilation CD, taking a song or two from each of the featured artists, and sell the CD's to raise additional funds for the hospice.

They are intrigued by the idea, but are wondering about what kind of "paperwork" we would need to do this.  Since the open mic people would not be included in the compilation CD, I would think it would just be a matter of them saying yes or no to wanting a copy of their performance.  But what should we do for the featured artists, if we include their performances in the compilation?

Anyone run into a similar situation?  Or have a release form already made up?

Thanks!

Dennis

[cybergaloot]

If they are performing their own songs it is easier from what I've heard. Otherwise you have to figure out how to get the royalties to whoever owns the rights to each song. It might be a bit different in Canada. Maybe you can find an entertainment lawyer up there willing to advise you and write it off as pro bono work.

To cover your butt you'll want to get a release from each performer and songwriter. Maybe one of the Canadian record labels would be willing to advise you since its for charity. Try Stony Plain or Northernblues Music. Here's a list including some: http://www.mary4music.com/Labels.html

This might help some: http://www.cb-cda.gc.ca/info/act-e.html

[Belexes]

I think what you may need is a Performance Consent & Release form.  If you google that, you'll find some samples.

+T on this. I think hospice is wonderful and worthy cause.  I have lost relatives to cancer know how much hospice care is appreciated.

[dorrcoq]

Otherwise you have to figure out how to get the royalties to whoever owns the rights to each song.

Damn, I never even thought about that.

[cybergaloot]

There probably wont be enough royalties to really matter but you don't want anyone making your life hell over a few bucks at most.