Hi Caroline:

I would need to know more about the case before rendering one of my "famous judgments"... LOL... but right off the bat... did the young "artist" contact any of the legitimate co-writers before making changes? Was the distributor or publisher involved in listing the "artist" as a co-writer? Are any of the legitimate co-writers members of a PRO organization such as BMI, ASCAP or SESAC?

I've heard of many big name artists "forcing the songwriter(s)" to make changes to accommodate their singing style or ideas on how to make the song better... but it seems pretty darn cheeky for a youngster to make changes and then name herself as a co-writer. Depending on how the song was registered (if it was) she could now be in for a share of the "writer's cut" as well as the artist's cut.

Perhaps she (or her handlers/parents, etc.) don't fully understand how music publishing works. I agree that it is better to have the song "out there" where there is at least some potential for income... but songwriters always seem to get the short end of the stick and it really gets my goat! ("Makes me angry!"... for those of you who don't understand Ozarkian English!)

I can sure understand your ire over this little deal.

All the best,

Dave