Legal Disclaimer

Those of us who like to play music have one major fear: lawyers. When I go sit in a pub and play Springsteen songs, I’m always a little afraid there’ll be a lawyer who’ll show up with a cop, arrest me, impound my guitar and amp and… why? Because I’m breaking some copyright law. Realistic? Not really. Still, I don’t want someone stealing my copyrighted material, so I try to always at least say the name of the artist that wrote the tune.

So, today I was looking around on the web site of one of my faorite singers, Michelle Shocked. In the liner notes of one of her albums, there reads a very formal and legal-sounding disclaimer about copying, re-distribution, selling, etc. etc. etc. and how it’s all illegal. Then, after all that jazz, she has written, “But anyone who sings these songs is a friend of mine.”

Sister Shocked, this is why I love you! How can an artist create but not share? Michelle Shocked knows what’s up and I now have one less thing to fear when I play “Come Along Way” while out and about.

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