
[These images are my own, as I had a photography pass given to me by the record company, when I was in rock radio. This one is Daryl Hall, John Oates, and G.E. Smith performing, after I had also been back stage with Daryl and John.]
BMI (Broadcast Music Inc.) and the Wine Institute partner on a new music licensing discount program.
FROM their Website: BMI was founded in 1939, by forward-thinkers who wanted to represent songwriters in emerging genres; e.g., jazz, blues, rock, and country. This was done in order to protect the public performances of their music. Operating on a non-profit-making basis, BMI is now the largest music rights organization in the U.S. and is still nurturing new talent and new music.
The Wine Institute is the voice for California wine, which represents more than 1,000 wineries and affiliated businesses, throughout the state. This is excellent news, as musicians are very much struggling artists, until they hit that HIT. Imagine hearing your music being used, when you know that copyright laws exits; but no one is paying attention to using your music and words, for their own personal, financial gain. If you write, it’s tantamount to having your blog post and images used by someone else.

[Another of my photos: Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick.]
When I first started wine blogging, I found my work ripped off in many instances. I had to write “cease and desist,” and they did. Why? Because my Webmaster husband knows how to find out where these thieves live. Just mention their own address and BAM, gone, faster than you can say pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis.
Here’s the Good News for CA Wine Institute Members: Press Release
NEW YORK, NY- February 21, 2018 – Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), a leader in music rights management, is pleased to announce its new partnership with Wine Institute, to develop a music licensing discount program for the Institute’s membership, of nearly 1,000 California wineries and affiliated businesses. This initiative will help California winery owners comply with copyright law, while ensuring that BMI’s affiliated songwriters, composers and publishers are compensated for the use of their musical works.
With the new discount program, Wine Institute members are offered up to 10 percent off their BMI music licensing fees. When combined with the 10 percent timely payment discount already included in BMI’s Eating & Drinking Establishment (EDE) license, Wine Institute members can save up to 20 percent.
“Music enhances the overall guest experience, whether it’s a live performance outside in the vineyard or recorded music playing in a tasting room,” said Robert P. (Bobby) Koch, President & CEO of Wine Institute. “We are delighted to partner with BMI to provide our members with discounted music licensing fees.”

[Another of my photos: Cyndi Lauper.]
“The majority of BMI’s affiliated songwriters can be viewed as small business owners, just like most wineries,” said Dan Spears, BMI’s Vice President, Industry Relations. “Our songwriters depend on the royalty payments they receive from BMI to make a living, and this partnership with Wine Institute will help to ensure the continuation of great music at wineries across California.”
BMI acts as a bridge between songwriters and the businesses and organizations that want to play their music publicly. The performing rights organization operates on a non-profit basis and licenses approximately 13 million musical works from its more than 800,000 affiliated songwriters, composers and music publishers. Dating back to 2000, BMI has partnered with more than 65 trade associations in the hospitality industry to streamline the music licensing process.
For more information on the BMI/Wine Institute music licensing discount program, please contact Ian Blue at Wine Institute at iblue@wineinstitute.org or BMI customer service at 800/925-8451 or visit www.bmi.com/licensing/entry/winery.
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