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This story last updated 11:35amEDT Friday July 03, 1998
94-year-old fights for folk song royalties
SUZANNE WOOLRIDGE - CBC Radio Arts

ST. JOHN'S - A 94-year-old composer is fighting for royalties owed him on one of Newfoundland's most folk songs, Let Me Fish Off Cape St. Mary's. Otto Kelland wrote it more than a half century ago but he's still fighting to enjoy the profits of his popular composition.

Kelland was working as a prison guard when he wrote Let Me Fish Off Cape St. Mary's. Given how often it's been used, the song should have been a modest meal ticket for Kelland. For years though, all Kelland got was a dribble of royalties. That's because he was credited only as the arranger, not as the composer.
Jocelyn Kelland, Otto's daughter, manages his affairs now. She's not sure how much money her father is owed, but she figures it's a lot. Jocelyn Kelland says her father can certainly prove he composed the song. He registered his copyright as composer in 1960.
The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada deals with copyright issues and arranges performance royalties for composers. Jocelyn Kelland says they thought her father was dead.
"He was really hurt to think that these mainlanders -- as he calls them-- would go around saying that he wasn't alive," laughs Kelland, "that he didn't compose it. As a matter of fact the first man to read Let Me Fish Off Cape St. Mary's is quite willing to testify you know."
SOCAN only pays for plays the song gets on radio and television. Kelland's publishing company, Star Quality Music, must also pay the correct royalties for publishing and recording it.<
Jocelyn Kelland says its records also show Kelland as arranger, not composer. She says both SOCAN and Star Quality Music have agreed to change their files but they still have to pay up the missing royalties.
The Music Industry Association of Newfoundland and Labrador is looking into the situation. It's president is Arch Bonnell. "It could affect other artists as well," he says, "so we would certainly monitor the situation from the point of View of our membership and in general Newfoundland creators and artists and if we can help out the Kelland family in any way, we certainly will."
Kelland's daughter wants to know who did get paid composer royalties. She says her father is not so much worried about the money as putting the record straight.