According to ASCAP, any musician playing copyrighted music must either have a copyright license or the establishment where the musician is playing must have one that covers the music the musician is playing. Do any of you have a copyright license from ASCAP or BMI, or SESAC? If so, how did you get the license and how much does it cost?

Peter

Where I live (East Coast USA)the establisments all pay the fees based on seating and hours etc. No musician I know has to pay the royalties to perform.

Ditto.

What about weddings, private parties, retirement centers?

Peter

It's always been the responsibility of the person throwing the event to make all necessary preparations and obtain all of the proper permits and licensing for the affair to take place.

For weddings etc. I would expect that the catering halls, especially the bigger ones, take care of this.... I am sure that no bride or groom or dance committee chairperson ever thought about whether or not an entertainer had a license to play the music ... and, to my knowledge, none of the musicians I know have a license .... and I wonder about a lot of the clubs/lounges/restaurants .....
t.

Thanks everyone for your input! I guess this is an issue that I need not concern myself with.

Peter