"Goodnight Irene" copyright?

[Tony Done]

I've been trying to find the copyright status of this tune, and the best
I can come up with is that the song dates from 1880, but the many more
recent versions will be under copyright.

Mine is an instrumental, lap steel clearly influenced by the Kelly Joe
Phelps version, but by no means a copy. Any opinions on its possible
copyright status?
--
Tony Done

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=784456

http://www.flickr.com/photos/done_family/

[Les Cargill]

Tony Done wrote:
> I've been trying to find the copyright status of this tune, and the best
> I can come up with is that the song dates from 1880, but the many more
> recent versions will be under copyright.
>
> Mine is an instrumental, lap steel clearly influenced by the Kelly Joe
> Phelps version, but by no means a copy. Any opinions on its possible
> copyright status?

I really wouldn't sweat it. If you're worried, get on the Harry Fox
website and do a search or whatever. Pretty sure that one
is public domain as a song, but I am not your entertainment
lawyer.

--
Les Cargill

[gtr]

On 2013-10-27 22:37:39 +0000, Tony Done said:

> I've been trying to find the copyright status of this tune, and the
> best I can come up with is that the song dates from 1880, but the many
> more recent versions will be under copyright.
>
> Mine is an instrumental, lap steel clearly influenced by the Kelly Joe
> Phelps version, but by no means a copy. Any opinions on its possible
> copyright status?

You can search the government's copyright database:

http://cocatalog.loc.gov/

There's the MPA info:

http://tinyurl.com/lqdgyym

...and many othe info sites on how to proceed:

http://www.copylaw.com/new_articles/permission.html

http://norman.hrc.utexas.edu/watch/us.cfm

And others.

Years ago, I use to call ASCAP in NYC and get info posthaste.