The AFM & SAG-AFTRA IP Fund: Is There Money Waiting For You?

If you are a background vocalist on any recordings, this is an important message for you.

The AFM & SAG-AFTRA Intellectual Property Rights Distribution Fund is a fund that was formed for the purpose of distributing royalties from various foreign territories and royalties established by government statute under U.S. copyright law. Money collected by this fund comes from agreements with organizations including Geidankyo - Center for Performing Rights Administration in Japan and U.S. government agencies to secure royalties for non-featured performers (e.g. sidemusicians and background vocalists). The Fund distributes money to non-featured vocalists and non-featured musicians for the rental in Japan of U.S. and Japanese-produced sound recordings; Japanese private home copying; Dutch royalties received from SENA in the Netherlands for private home copying and certain broadcast royalties; Audio Home Recording Act monies; and statutory license royalties for the digital broadcast of sound recordings in the U.S. pursuant to the Digital Performance Rights in Sound Recordings Act of 1995 and Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998.

"I can say with authority that the money collected and paid to us for our contributions to these recordings can be a blessing and in some cases lucrative — particularly if you are working or have worked on popular recordings that were hits on the charts," said Wes Hightower, known as the most-recorded singer in America. 

All the Fund needs is your name and address. Now would be the perfect time to sign up, and make sure they know where to send the check. Visit raroyalties.org to register your name and info. Click the “online forms” tab, and you're one step closer to either getting money that's already owed to you, or being ready for money that's coming down the pipeline. Either way, it doesn't cost you a thing to do, and is a smart investment in your time if you have any professional credits out there for vocals.

There are resources on the website to search unclaimed royalties by name. You can check for yourself if you're entitled to a distribution, fill out an inquiry form and get your money!

"Take it from the most recorded singer in America; this is worth your time," said Hightower.

This originally appeared in the local newsletter.