Our Song Doctor sessions have become quite popular in recent months. Facilitated by Kirk Ridge, the sessions are a relaxed setting where songwriters can present song ideas and get support and feedback from fellow musicians. The sessions are held in a spacious MI building at 333 Liggett St. in Durham across from the old Bulls ballpark with ample parking. A PA is set up and snack/drink machines are on site. Many Song Doctor sessions will feature mini-seminars by celebrated songwriters. A recent session by The Cloers brought rave reviews. Bring your instrument and chord/lyric sheets to distribute (copier available) and come share your new songs. Or, just come by and listen. Next Sunday sessions are August 8 and September 12 from 5-7:30.

The 13th Annual NC Songwriters Co-op Song Contest is in full swing and we need your songs! This year contestants must be from North Carolina to be eligible to win. Entries will be accepted until September 15. Finalists will compete live on the Carrboro Art Center Stage October 23, 2010! Go to the co-op home page and click on the contest flyer for details! www.ncsongwriters.org

The NCSC is pleased to involved with “Come Out & Play 2010”. “Come Out & Play 2010” is a celebration of sculpture that includes food, fun, art and of course original music provided by us, the North Carolina Songwriters Co-op! Dates with performing opportunities are September 4, 11, 18 and 25. The event begins at 4pm and continues until dark. The location is the JimGin Farm in Pittsboro. For more information or to express interest in performing, see the list of contacts below.

Chuck Champion for 8-4 and 8-25 www.chuckchampion@chuckchampion.com
Kirk Ridge for 8-11 www.bdsyndrome@earthlink.net
Ken Cleary for 8-18 www.kencleary55@hotmail.com

Once again the NCSC will host a stage at the Carrboro Music Festival! This years festival will be held on Sunday, September 26 beginning at 1pm. Contact us as soon as possible as there are always more musicians than available spots. If you’d like a spot contact: chuckchampion@chuckchampion.com or louisebendall@yahoo.com

All right, so you’ve written a song - lyrics and music - and you are happy with the finished product… so now what?

No matter what you intend to do with your music; your next step probably should be to protect your copyright. When you create a work of art, you immediately are the sole owner of that work; you own the copyright. You may notate this on the lyric sheet or CD with: 1) the appropriate symbol, 2) the year of publication, 3) the owner of the copyright. For example: © 2010 XYZ Music or, © 2010 John Smith or, m 2010 XYZ Records. The “c in a circle” is for printed lyrics, and the “p in a circle” is for sound recordings (phonorecords).

Simply noting this on your work is notice to the world that you are the copyright owner, however, to legally defend your copyright you should register your copyright with the U. S. Copyright Office.

The relatively new method of filing online is cheaper, quicker and easier than by mail. However, the website is not very intuitive and there is some confusion about how the old forms translate to the new online method. The older mail method of filing would have you use Form PA for your lyrics and Form SR for your sound recording. For online filing, you would use the same online form (eCO) for either one. You just pick the type of filing you are doing at the beginning of the process. Online filing is done at copyright.gov, just look for the Electronic Copyright Office (eCO) logo on the home page. There is a tutorial available there that will be helpful.

There are a few issues that you will need to settle before going online.

1. Who is the copyright owner? Just you, a publishing company, you and other co-writers? If co-writing, what is the percentage breakdown?

2. Which Performing Rights Organization (PRO) are you affiliated with? BMI, ASCAP, SESAC

3. If you are registering a sound recording, who owns that sound recording? Just you, a record company, you and a producer?

4. For sound recordings, you should have an ISRC # (International Standard Recording Code) from usisrc.org. This is a unique number assigned to your recording to help track your song’s plays and sales.


The first time through this process is guaranteed to be frustrating and annoying. But it is a necessary part of the efforts towards creating a sustainable career with your music.

John Cloer is currently serving as the Director of Marketing and Promotions for The North Carolina Songwriters Co-op. He and his wife Cate are a Singer-Songwriter Acoustic Duo, The Cloers. Learn more about The Cloers at thecloers.com

NC Songwriters Co-op members John Saylor, Penne Sandbeck, Chuck Champion and Louise Bendall will be the featured performers at the Lilac Lounge on April 15th. The Lilac Lounge open mic at Weaver Street Market in Hillsborough begins at 6pm, with the NC Songwriters Showcase starting at 7pm. The NC Songwriters performance will be broadcast live from 7-8pm on WCOM, 103.5 FM in Chapel Hill/Carrboro, and streaming live on the web at www.wcomfm.org.

As you may have heard, the Co-op has a relationship with WCOM-FM Community Radio in Carrboro/Chapel Hill. Our show is called "Licks and Lyrics" and is hosted by Louise Bendall, Chuck Champion, and Kirk Ridge, rotating DJs each Saturday afternoon from 3-4. The show features music and guest appearances by local songwriters. If you have a song you want considered for play on the show, send a CD to:

Kirk Ridge
Measurement, Inc.
423 Morris Street
Durham, NC  27701

If you are interested in being a guest, email Louise, Chuck, or Kirk.  It's great fun being on the radio!

Our annual co-op members meeting took place in February at Tyler’s in Carrboro. Much was accomplished and a good time was had by all. Thanks to Patricia Franklin for making the arrangements AND a special thank you to Dwight Sullivan, our departing coordinator, for all the hard work he has given the Co-Op!  I doubt many of us know just how much he has done for us as songwriters and musicians.

Send us a copy of your press kit or give us the address to your website so that when we have an opportunity to produce a show featuring our members we will have some idea what you do.  Often the venue owner wants a specific genre, etc., and in order for us to include you, we have to know what you do!

The Co-op has created an Event Calendar to help you promote your Gigs. Check it out at www.ncsongwriters.org/calendar. To get your Gig on the calendar, just fill in the form at the bottom of the page. This calendar will be featured in each issue of Coop Scoops.