CONSUMER ALERT - Don't Buy these CD's!

It has come to my attention that there are some artists who have pirated Native American Flute music and are illegally selling these albums. This was brought to my attention by Mary Youngblood, who owns the rights to several of the songs records on the albums.

For those of you who do not know how the music business functions, here's a quick education. The songwriter/composer owns the song when they create it. Once it's recorded, the publisher owns the reproduction rights. In some cases the songwriter can also be the publisher, but in most cases the songwriter 'sells' the publication rights to a record company to duplicate and distribute the recording. Depending upon the deal, the orginal composers may own the rights for others to cover their tunes. It's up the new artists to get a license from the composer to re-record their song.

But it goes deeper than that, I am one who believes that we need to honor all who've come before us, especially when it comes to performing others music. There are plenty of legal recourses to make things right, but it has to start by honoring the songwriter by asking for permission to play or record their music. If you don't do that, then I don't know where your heart is, and I am not really interested at all at listening to your music.

The CD's in question include a CD titled Sacred Ashes (2007) from a South American flute player named 'Amayna', who's real name is Boris Serrano. And another CD by Jamie Rodriguez AKA Earth Spirit. Mary Youngblood owns the rights to several of the songs on these CD's, and serveral other songs were written by flute players we know, and they have also been notified.

If you come across either of these albums or these artists (below) at any flute events this year, please do not purchase them and (if you're up to it) feel free to confront the seller and/or the festival organizers to the pirated wares being sold. If that doesn't work, feel free to call the local police and report the vendor.

These are the "Albums" we are aware of, with the pirated songs:

Here's the album cover and list of songs:

WAYRA- Earth Spirit (Jamie Rodriguez)
1. Earth Spirit
2. Cama ('Aleut Greetings' spelled wrong)
3. Caress the Smile
4. Walk WIth me
5. Beneath the Raven Moon
6. And We Will Fly
7. Calling the Rain
8. Yuba
9. Heart's Desire
10.Starry Night
11. Bonus Video- Earth Spirit


Sacred Ashes- By "AMAYNA" (Boris Serrano)
1. Caress the Smile
2. Circle of Light
3. The Wolf Dance
4. Love Mountain
5. Starry Night
6. Trails of our Fathers
7. Cherokee River
8. Closer to Far Away
9. Voices of the WInd
10. Smoke SIgnals
11. Earth Spirit
12. Stone Change

For additional information:

http://www.songrights.com/copyrights.htm