JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum who wrote "Together Again"

My father is 75 years old and quite the singer and song writer. A couple of years ago he told me somthing that really floored me. First of all he said I should watch myself letting my songs out with out a copyright and then informed me that in the late fifties that he had wrote a bunch of songs before he and my mother got married and made a record of two of them...one he sent to Chet Atkins who was a big wig at RCA at the time and he showed me the letter he got back...of course nothing ever happen of that song...another one that he thought wasn't all that good and did not record he sent the orignal sheet music that was hand written by a pianno playing friend of his to Buck Owens. Six months later he hears Together Again on the radio and it floors him...He went to a Lawyer and all the lawyer said was "son we can get your name on it but since Mr. Owens published it you will probably never get any money. Well to make a long story short Mom comfirmed this and said he wrote it after they broke up then got back together and I was born about 2 years later. Dad and mom both have no reason t0 lie about this and after all these year the bitterness has worn off but I noticed when he heard Emylou Harris' version of it , it almost brought him to tears and he said now that is the way that song was meant to be sung. I know this is quite a story and I guess that is why I am so hell bent on getting a song out there that will make it before dad leaves and goes to that great band room in the sky...just thought I would share that with every one.

Byron.
p.s. tissues are available at the door

WOW, Byron, this is quite a story. Unfortunately, many songwriters, from Laura Nyro to countless blues artists- have been ripped off in this way.

Good luck....and don't give up. Write on!

Emily

So those who say "Don't worry about it," and those who say "You wish your stuff was good enough to steal," as if it couldn't happen, here's yet another first-person testimonial to the fact it happens.
I'm an advocate of posting with your copyright notice in the style prescribed by the US Copyright office: "Title, © Year, by Your Name. All Rights Reserved." Then print out a copy of your post and put it in a file, just like any company in the world would do with its official documents.
Should a dispute ever come up over ownership you'd have some backup to show your date of claim, even if you didn't have it registered with the copyright office. And people with technical skills could probably find a record of everyone who ever looked at it and trace to the one who stole it.
If you truly believe it has potential, registering it is the only protection that will enable you to bring an infringement suit, recoup lawyers' fees (an incentive for them to take your case) and compel a mechanical license.
What a great old song. I remember that on the jukebox, setting the mood. Wasn't there a duet singer on it? The name Tammy Tyrell pops into my head.
And it could have been a moneymaker for your Dad if he only registered the copyright. I'd still check into it with a lawyer. Even his name on it would have been a credential for pitching other songs and making the history book accurate.
Damn it! The more I think about it the madder it makes me. Protect your property folks. Gold records are an acknowledgment that someone made some gold off that little ol' tune they (or somebody) came up with.

Together Again was a heckuva' song Byron. Your dad wrote a good one. I loved it. Usually,it's hard to tell who the guilty party is, but in this case it seems clear enough. If if was possible to get his name on it. looks like it'd have been worth it just to have his name on it, as Gary said and right, i'd still see what could be done, Just get an entertainment lawyer as opposed to just a lawyer. There's some people here at JPF over on The mentor board or one of the other's, who could give qualified advice
Good luck

Gary and Wyman,
Dad was real bitter for quite some time,but as you all know time has a way of healing all wounds and he pointed out to me Buck is now Dead a when he told me about it 2 years ago Buck was in bad shape and Dad said that he was happy just to be as healthy as he himself was and could still play as much and have fun. He also pointed out to me that he was 26 at the time and a poor old country boy from southern Illinois and thought what the hell at least this is proof that I can write a hit song. That song was Recorded by of course Buck Owens, Emylou Harris, Ray Charles, and also Dean Martin just to name a few. The ammount of money made off of it I would say would be astronomical. As to what is up now I am in the process of recording him in my home studio and making a cd of all the songs he wrote back then including that one and he is thrilled to death and he will be with me on a radio Interview that is comming up later this year that will air on the BBS(British Broadcasting System) 8 million. listenership! as for the money well...he is quite comfortable enjoying a retirement of 36 years as a conductor for the Illinois Central Railroad...so money is no longer an issue. Dad said that back then Buck stole songs from alot of people including Merle Haggard but Merle got him back by stealing Bonnie Owens...I don't know if all that is true but that is Dad's take on it and that is his story and he is sticking to it...

What a terrible story! Man, that makes me mad. I like Buck Owens and I love that song, it's one of my favorites. Why? Tell your dad that someone loves that song because it is one HELLUVA tear jerker, one of the best of all time. YET THE STORY OF THE SONG IS HAPPY! They are TOGETHER AGAIN! I heard that song a zillion times before I ever really got it a few years ago.

If what your dad says is how it went down, I would think he got bad advice by the lawyer. Do you know the story of Johnny Cash and Folsom Prison Blues and the lawsuit from the guy who wrote a previous blues with some lines that were almost identical?

This isn't the same song that was on the muppets take manhattan is it? because that "together again" was sung by kermit the frog, and miss piggy. written by jim henson i think.


-steve

Duke,
things were different back in the late fifties and the sad part of it is, Buck was responsible for publishing it and as I said dad just sent in the hand scored song and did not have a recording of it.The lady that scored it Gladys Baker is now passed on.

Wow, talk about disillusionment! I would place that song in my top 20 of all-time greatest country songs, and all along, I thought that Buck wrote it. Well, BIG KUDOS to your dad for writing a dang GREAT country song. It's kind of discombobulating to realize, after all these years, that what I thought was true, really wasn't. But a great song is a great song, and your dad should really be proud. I mean, REALLY should be proud.

Those writers who over-think their lyrics (me included) could take a lesson from your dad. You couldn't say it better than how he said it. It takes a BIG talent to say something profound in such a simple way. I only wish I had that kind of talent.

Byron,
Please pass my thanks on to your dad. That song was one that my dad used to sing to my mom. Dad was military and I was just a kid, but I figured he sang it to her because he missed her when he was gone.
They've both passed on, and all I have are the memories. That song plays a role in many of them.
Your dad is a hero, and you are good son who clearly loves him well.
All the best to you and your family.

Michelle,
this type of thing happened alot back in the early years of song writing. People in the know and with the money took credit for a lot of things that they did not actually write but had the money and connections to get published and out to the listening population.

Peter,
my dad will always be a hero in my eyes and all I can hope is that he lives a long long time. I really believe that his love for music and my mom keep him going strong. Right now I am in the process of recording all of the songs that he wrote back then and using family for all of the instruments and back up vocals just to have something to show my grandkids when they come along and he is elated about this...you could not imagine the energy this old but young at heart man has....he always has a smile on his face...

Sorry to hear of your Dad's loss, Byron. My producer buddy, Gene Allen, says he was in the Nashvile Publisher's Office when "Green Green Grass of Home" got pirated.

It's happened lots in the past...sadly. It's not as easy nowadays, but it still goes on. (Many's the time an Artist pens a line or two & demands Writing Credit for the Whole Song..or All the Publishing..in order for a New Writer to get a cut.)

My Condolences,
Stan