In March of 2015, a federal
jury in Los Angeles voted unanimously that Robin Thicke and producer Pharrell
Williams’ song Blurred Lines infringed on the 1977 Marvin
Gaye song, Got to Give
it Up. This decision is highly criticized and an appeal to the 9th Circuit
followed. Dr. E. Michael Harrington, a professional musicologist who
specializes in federal copyright matters, is coming to Minneapolis to discuss
his
opinion that the jury's decision was foolish and explore
the ramifications on the music industry if this decision were to become a
standard.
This CLE is approved
for credit through June 14, 2019.
Presenter:
Dr. E. Michael
Harrington is a composer, musician, consultant, professor, and is currently the
Music Business Program Faculty Chair at SAE Institute Nashville and Course
Author and Professor at Berklee Online. Among numerous other industry
pursuits, he has worked as an expert witness and consultant in music copyright
issues involving the Dixie Chicks, Woody Guthrie, Deadmau5, Lady Gaga, Jib Jab,
DJ Danger Mouse, Busta Rhymes, Steven Spielberg, Samsung, HBO, Mark Burnett,
Food Network, Citadel, White Stripes, Black Keys, Akon, T-Pain, Lauryn Hill
& The Fugees, Steve Perry, Collin Raye, Patty Loveless, Tupac Shakur,
Samsung, AT & T, Keith Urban, the Houston Rockets (NBA), Beatallica, Mariah
Carey, the Turtles, the Monkees, Ne-Yo, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Avril Lavigne,
Mystikal, Britney Spears, 2 Live Crew, Rascal Flatts, Sugar Hill Gang, Lonnie
Mack, Hasbro, Ford, Heinz, Publix, Insight International and others.
In
August 2016, he was cited as an authority in the Brief of Amici Curiae 212
Songwriters, Composers, Musicians, and Producers in Support of Appellants in the
“Blurred Lines” decision at the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth
Circuit. Link: https://www.scribd.com/document/322595201/Brief-of-Amici-Curiae-212-Songwriters-Composers-Musicians-And-Produce#
He
also co-authored a brief to the 9th Circuit with attorney Ken Freundlich and
nine other
musicologists.