Hi Q,

You can't copyright a version of a song if the song is already protected (i.e. has a valid copyright after I believe 1923). You can copyright versions of PD songs.

If Ralph Stanley wrote a song and it was copyrighted, I couldn't leagally print my version of his song without permission. I couldn't record it without paying royalties.

If Ralph claimed to write a song like say "Jacobs Vision" but in fact the song originated from another source befere 1923 his copyright would no longer be valid.

When AP Carter copyrighted Lulu Walls it was from another source. It was aslo recorded by Lunsford (a different yet similar version). Mel Bay wouldn't let me include Lulu Walls in my collection until I gave them info from Meade.

One of my students plays these Ralph Stanley songs and I was wondering whether they were PD. Ralph Stanley is listed as the composer of Angel Band, a song he's associated with. He didn't write it tho.

Richie