Jazzman Frank Foster Finally Gains Copyright Of His Most Famous Song

by Felix Contreras
Saxophonist and composer Frank Foster will finally be able to be paid for writing one of the most enduring songs in the jazz canon.

Using a little known loophole in U.S. copyright law, Foster can now collect all songwriting royalties for "Shiny Stockings," a piece that he wrote in 1955 as a member of the Count Basie orchestra. Here's a clip of the Basie band performing his homage to hosiery:



When I interviewed Foster at his home in Virginia in 2005 for a series on the economic plight of older jazz musicians, he explained why he gave away his publishing rights and royalties: he simply didn't know any better. And every time someone recorded it, Foster had to watch the majority of the royalties go to a company that had collected publishing rights to the songs they had purchased.
Complete on > http://www.npr.org/blogs/ablogsupreme/2010/07/01/128245676/jazzman-frank-foster-finally-wins-copyright-of-his-most-famous-song?ft=1&f=10002