[talbot10]

HI Tim,
ASCAP and BMI are performance rights societies that are in existance because they collect royalties for publishers and songwriters that are registered with them. They are not there to protect the folks playing the covers. They collect certain amounts from venues such as Cafe's , bars, stores, elevator music, radio statons (you name it). They use statistical data and various formulas (which I don't understand ) to collect money from venues to pay songwriters and/or their publishing companies their royalties. Joining one of the societies does not in any way relieve a person publishing and/or distributing someone elses copyrighted song and making that cover available either in hard form (ex.CD or tape) or in digital form (ex. mp3 download). For a CD and or tape for example you need to secure a mechanical licence from the copyright holder via either the Harry Fox Agency (If the copyright owner belongs to that) or directly from the copyright holder (often the copyright holders publishing company). To digitally distribute you need a simlar but not exact form of license (renewable every year right now).. Again. I am not a lawyer. I am just telling you what I believe via research and my own experince in what I have to do every year legally to publish a cover song on one of my own CDs.
Bill