Historic Bibliographies and Reference Aids

Copyright and Folksong

Compiled by: Joseph C. Hickerson and Katherine W. Johnson
Publication Date: October 27, 1978

Beall, Thomas E., Jr.
"Copying Music for Educational Purposes." Mugwumps, volume 5, number 6, August-October 1977, pp. 16-18.

Berk, Lee Eliot.
Legal Protection for the Creative Musician. Boston: Berklee Press Publications, 1970. See esp. pp. 86-89.

Boos, Gregory D.
"The Wreck of the Old '97: A Study in Copyright Protection for Lawyers, Folklorists and Songwriters." Seattle Folklore Society Journal, volume 9, number 1, September 1977, pp. 3-18.

Brand, Oscar.
The Ballad Mongers: The Rise of the Modern Folk Song. New York: Funk and Wagnall Co., 1962. "The Legal Tangle," pp. 201-215.

Bunch, John B.
"The Legal Considerations of Privacy, Property, Copyright, and Unfair Practices in the Publication of Folklore Materials." Folklore Forum, volume 6, number 4, October 1973, pp. 211-216.

Cohen, Norm.
"Robert W. Gordon and the Second Wreck of the Old '97." Journal of American Folklore, volume 87, number 343, January-March 1974, pp. 12-38.

Coon, O. Wayne.
"Some Problems with Musical Public-Domain Materials under United States Copyright Law as Illustrated Mainly by the Recent Folk-Song Revival." Copyright Law Symposium Number 19: Nathan Burkan Memorial Competition Sponsored by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, New York: Columbia University Press, 1971, pp. 189-218.

Cooney, Michael.
"General Delivery." Sing Out!, volume 20, number 6, July-August 1971, pp. 29-38.

Eitman, Bill.
"Copyrights and Collectors." Sing Out!, volume 10, number 3, October-November 1960, pp. 20-22.

Goodling, Cynthia.
"Concerning Copyrights." Sing Out!, volume 11, number 1, February-March 1961, pp. 24-25.

Hunt, Harriet F.
"African Folklore: The Role of Copyright." African Law Studies, number 1, June 1969, pp. 87-97.

International Folk Music Council.
Statement of Copyright in Folk Music Adopted by the General Assembly of the International Folk Music Council, August 26th, 1957. London: International Folk Music Council, 1957.

Karpeles, Maud.
"Communication on Copyright." Western Folklore, volume 22, number 2, July 1963, pp. 187-189.

Klarman, Barbara Friedman.
"Copyright and Folk Music - A perplexing Problem." Bulletin of the Copyright Society of the U.S.A., volume 12, number 5, June 1965, pp. 277-292.

Legman, G.
"Who Owns Folklore?" Western Folklore, volume 21, number 1, January 1962, pp. 1-12. Reprinted in G. Legman, The Horn Book: Studies in Erotic Folklore and Bibliography, New Hyde Park, N.Y.: University Books, 1964, pp. 505-521; also see Come All Ye: The Journal of the Vancouver Folk Song Society, volume 6, number 11, November 1977, pp. 168-181.

Lloyd, A.L.
"Who Owns What in Folk Song?" Sing Out!, volume 12, number 1, February-March 1962, pp. 41, 43.

Seeger, Charles.
"Who Owns Folklore? - A Rejoiner." Western Folklore, volume 21, number 2, April 1962, pp. 93-101.

Seeger, Pete.
"The Copyright Hassle." Sing Out!, volume 13, number 5, December-January 1963-1964, pp. 41, 43, 45. Reprinted with additions in Pete Seeger, The Incompleat Folksinger, New York: Simon and Schuster, 1972, pp. 448-453.

Silber, Irvin.
"Folk Songs and Copyrights." Sing Out!, volume 9, number 4, February-March 1960, pp. 31-34, 36.

Spivacke, Harold.
"Copyright." Journal of American Folklore, volume 59, number 234, October-December 1964, pp. 524-527.

Steele, Bill.
"Securing Copyright and Publishing Your Song for Fun and Profit." Folknik, volume 8, number 2, March-April 1972, pp. 7-8; number 3, May-June 1972, pp. 2-3. Addendum in number 5, September-October 1972, p. 2. Reprinted in New York Pinewoods Folk Music Club Newsletter, May 1972, pp. [7]-[8]; June 1972, pp. 5-6.

Stekert, Ellen J. et al.
"Folklore Archives: Ethics and Law." Folklore Forum, volume 6, number 4, October 1973, pp. 197-210.

Wales, Tony.
"Copyright and the EFDSS." English and Dance Song, volume 35, number 2, summer 1973, p. 79; number 3, Fall 1973, pp. 117-118.