Shira Perlmutter

Shira Perlmutter has been appointed as the 14th United States Register of Copyrights, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced Monday (Sept. 21). Perlmutter will take on the role of Register of Copyrights in late October. Maria Strong, who has served as acting Register since January 2020, will return to her role as Associate Register of Copyrights for Policy and International Affairs.

“Shira brings to this role a deep knowledge of domestic and international copyright law and policy and a background in negotiating international intellectual property agreements. She has experience working with a wide range of stakeholders and finding common ground on complex issues,” Hayden said.

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to lead the U.S. Copyright Office during its 150th year,” said Perlmutter. “I look forward to working with Dr. Hayden and rejoining the dedicated staff of the Copyright Office on its mission of promoting the creation and dissemination of works of authorship, to the benefit of the American public.”

Perlmutter has served since 2012 as Chief Policy Officer and Director for International Affairs at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), working in all areas of intellectual property, including copyright. She was a liaison for the USPTO to other agencies including the U.S. Copyright Office, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and the U.S. Department of State.

At USPTO, Perlmutter guided the work of teams of policy experts, the Office of the Chief Economist and the IP Attaché program, oversaw the development and implementation of training and outreach plans, and served as lead author on significant Department of Commerce papers on copyright issues. She co-led the U.S. delegations that negotiated two copyright treaties at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), notably the Marrakesh Treaty and the Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performance. She engaged with multiple copyright stakeholders, including author organizations, copyright industries, technology companies, consumers, libraries and academics.

Prior to USPTO, she served as the Executive Vice President for Global Legal Policy at the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry in London, United Kingdom, where she was responsible for the development and international coordination of policy positions on copyright, trade, and other legal issues for six years.

Perlmutter previously served as Vice President and Associate General Counsel, Intellectual Property Policy, for Time Warner Inc. As chief intellectual property counsel, she oversaw the development of positions on domestic and international copyright issues associated with the provision of creative content and journalism, as well as online services.

From 1995 – 1999, Perlmutter served as the Associate Register for Policy and International Affairs at the U.S. Copyright Office. In that role she advised Congress and the Administration on copyright and related matters, including changes to the Copyright Act to implement international treaties and address the challenges of digital technologies. She prepared congressional testimony and responses to congressional inquiries, and was the lead author of a report on digital distance learning that resulted in amendment of the Copyright Act.

Perlmutter began her career working for two different private law firms, developing a specialty in copyright and trademark law.

For a number of years, she was on the faculty of The Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law, teaching copyright and trademark law as well as international intellectual property. She continues to serve on the boards of several organizations that focus on intellectual property issues and is a frequent writer and speaker on the subject.
Perlmutter earned a B.A. degree from Harvard University and a J.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Several organizations released statements regarding Perlmutter’s appointment.
The Nashville Songwriters Association International stated, “The Nashville Songwriters Assn. International (NSAI) wishes to congratulate Shira Perlmutter on her appointment as the new Register of Copyrights. She brings a wealth of valuable expertise and experience to the position which is critical right now. A number of important songwriter/composer issues — from oversight of the new Mechanical Licensing Collective and changes to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act — are under consideration, and a strong Register of Copyrights dedicated to protecting the rights of creators in urgent and imperative. NSAI believes Ms. Perlmutter will fill that role brilliantly as she leads the U.S. Copyright Office.”

Garrett Levin, President and CEO of DiMA, stated, “I congratulate Shira Perlmutter on her appointment to be the next Register of Copyrights. Shira’s deep knowledge of copyright law, wide-ranging experience on every meaningful copyright policy issue of the last few decades, and practical experience in both the public and private sector make her a natural fit for the position. In particular, Shira’s understanding of music licensing issues and the digital economy comes at a critical time and will be invaluable as the Copyright Office continues its vital work to implement the Music Modernization Act. The staff of the Office has been diligent and thorough in their work on that issue to date, and I look forward to working with Shira and to continued strong leadership at the Office. Additionally, I commend Dr. Hayden for the thorough process she employed in the search for the next Register, in particular the opportunities she provided for public input.”

Michael Huppe, President and Chief Executive Officer of SoundExchange, stated, “Shira Perlmutter’s extensive background both in government and the private sector makes her an inspired choice to be the Register of Copyrights. Her experience as chief policy offer at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, overseeing intellectual property policy at Time Warner, and advising the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva gives her the diverse background and expertise to help guide copyright policy and create procedures and practices. Her appointment reflects the Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden’s commitment to setting the highest standards for U.S. copyright policy, and we look forward to working with Shira as we strive for a more fair, equitable and modern copyright system.”

NMPA President/CEO David Israelite said, “The appointment of Shira Perlmutter as our next Register of Copyrights is welcome news. Shira’s extensive background and years of experience advancing both domestic and international copyright policy makes her extremely well suited for the position.  She also appreciates the Office’s crucial role in protecting our nation’s creative economy. We thank the Librarian, Dr. Hayden, for her leadership in making this selection.”

Mitch Glazier, Chairman and CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), stated, “The Recording Industry Association of America congratulates Shira Perlmutter on her appointment as the Fourteenth U.S. Register of Copyrights, and applauds Dr. Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, on an outstanding choice. No one knows more about copyright than Shira. In her long career of public service and scholarship, Register Perlmutter has consistently worked to promote understanding and progress in copyright law and has established herself as a preeminent authority. Her previous leadership experiences in academia and the private sector, along with her appointments at the U.S. Copyright Office, the World Intellectual Property Organization, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will prove especially valuable in an increasingly interconnected global digital world. We also extend our gratitude to Acting Register Maria Strong for ensuring the office did not lose a step through a highly active and consequential transition period. We look forward to working with Register Perlmutter as she brings people together to advance the public good through a wise and rigorous understanding and application of U.S. Copyright law.”

BMI’s President & CEO Mike O’Neill added, “BMI would like to congratulate Shira Perlmutter on her appointment as Register of the U.S. Copyright Office. Register Perlmutter’s experience and extensive background in copyright law and policy will help shepherd the office during these times of continuous change, including the ongoing threats to our creators and copyright holders. We look forward to working with Register Perlmutter to ensure that the value of the musical works created by our songwriters, composers and music publishers is protected.”

John Ingrassia

Music executive John Ingrassia has been named President, Music for podcast content production studio Audio Up Media. Ingrassia previously served as General Manager at Vector Management since 2009. His career has also included time as Exec. VP at Sony Music, overseeing operations for Columbia Records Group and as President of the Commercial Music Group following the merger of Sony Music and BMG.

“John and I believe that podcasting is poised to become the next great discovery platform, not only for developing artists, but also for established artists looking to release new content in innovative ways, particularly in these uncertain times, as well as energizing the vast catalog of music that is available thanks to streaming services,” added Audio Up Media Founder and CEO Jared Gutstadt.

“After spending the first part of my music career working for one of the major record companies, and then the last decade supporting artists at one of the best management companies in the business, I am more than excited to join Jared in his latest venture and create new opportunities for music discovery through the exploding medium of podcasts,” said Ingrassia in a recent statement. “ Even as the popularity of podcasts has increased exponentially in recent years, music has been underserved, and Audio Up’s mission is to develop innovative programming that incorporates music that can stand on its own—the perfect compliment for telling stories in a pure audio medium.”

“We are crafting best in class audio stories with supersized musical components,” Gutstadt added. “If people go to platforms like Spotify, iHeart, Pandora, Apple, etc. and expect podcasts to engage them and keep them in the environment, the variety and quality of the content will have to improve dramatically to compete with the multiple forms of entertainment that grasp people’s attention like film, TV, gaming, etc. Podcasts can be just as rich and engaging as all other forms of media, and Audio Up is built on a foundation of podcasts, which will not only be springboards for albums of the future, but also spin off film, television and Broadway shows, and will be valued for a catalog of stories, songs and masters. We are excited to be offering an amazing slate of projects, both scripted and unscripted, that we have been able to quickly bring to market in the short time since the company was launched earlier this year. It’s been a perfect storm for us to create, while the pandemic surrounds the ever-moving media landscape of 2020.”

Audio Up Media’s current and recent projects include Dennis Quaid’s The Dennissance, true crime podcast Where The Bodies Are Buried, pet culture podcast The Pet Show, as well as upcoming projects including Make It Up As We Go with Scarlett Burke, Miranda Lambert, Lindsay Ell, Bobbby Bones and Billy Bob Thornton, Machine Gun Kelly’s Halloween In Hell and more.

Kari Jobe

Kari Jobe will release a new live album, The Blessing, on Oct. 23 on Capitol CMG. In anticipation of the new album, three singles are available this week: “First Love,” “Embers” and “Obsession (ft. Cody Carnes),” along with the pre-order for the album.

The album was recorded and captured live this summer during the pandemic without an audience at her home church, The Belonging Co, in Nashville.

The Blessing features 15 tracks co-written by Cody Carnes, Austin Davis, Jacob Sooter, Jonas Myrin, Elyssa Smith, Steffany Gretzinger, Chris Brown, Steven Furtick and Passion’s Kristian Stanfill and Brett Younker. The new album’s title track features the global worship anthem of the year, “The Blessing,” which Jobe co-wrote along with Carnes and Elevation Worship’s Steven Furtick and Chris Brown. The song was written and released the week before the world was overcome with the pandemic, and the live video now has more than 28.6 million views, 57 million global audio streams in just six months, and has been included on Spotify’s US Viral 50, Global Viral 50 playlists and Top 50 Most thumbed-up songs on Pandora.

“Recording this album live without an audience was something I wrestled with, but I really felt God say to keep moving forward,” Jobe said. “I felt like if I waited, I would be disobeying the Lord. I’m trusting that these songs are meant to release hope right now in this uncertain season. When I was working on this new album, I wanted to think about the church – little did I know that I would have to have the ‘church’ in my heart when I recorded a live album as well.”

Luke Laird. Photo: Spencer Combs

After 24 No. 1 songs, Grammys, ACMs, and multiple other honors, lauded songwriter/producer Luke Laird released his first-ever album today (Sept. 18).

In a project aptly titled Music Row, the hit-maker behind monster country hits including Carrie Underwood’s “So Small,” “Temporary Home,” and “Undo It”; Eric Church’s “Drink in My Hand,” “Give Me Back My Hometown,” and “Talladega”; Little Big Town’s “Pontoon,” Kenny Chesney’s “American Kids,” Lady A’s “Downtown,” Jon Pardi’s “Head Over Boots,” and many more, Laird finally tells his story of how a kid from Hartstown, Pennsylvania made it on Music Row, where he has made a lasting mark on country music.

When the idea came up for him to put out his own music, Laird says support from his wife, and Creative Nation CEO and Co-Owner, Beth Laird, sealed the deal.

“Every time I write something, I’m always happy for anybody else to cut it,” Laird says. “But I realized I started having this collection of songs that were more personal. A few of them I wrote just to write, and then once I realized I had a few that were more personal, then I focused on writing for myself.

“Beth suggested [making an album]. She said, ‘Why don’t you just make an album so these songs can actually get heard?’ That was really all the encouragement I needed.”

The title track shows Laird’s affinity for the magic of Music City and country music.

“For me, the first time I came [to Nashville], I had never seen anything like it,” Laird says. “Even the actual physical music row, thinking about all these writers that I grew up to admire and are kind of my heroes, that I’m doing the same thing they were doing in a little house on music row, writing a song. There’s just something to me that’s really cool about that, and to get to continue to be a part of that tradition is really neat.”

Laird wrote every song with no co-writers, other than “Branch On The Tree,” which he wrote with Barry Dean and Lori McKenna, which makes for a deeply personal chronicle of Laird’s life and career. Perhaps the most strikingly personal song is “That’s Why I Don’t Drink Anymore,” a pain-tinged song of hope to recover from addiction.

“I played that song one night at the Bluebird. It was the first time I played it out and this young lady came up to me, she’s a Belmont student and she had tears in her eyes and she was like, ‘I love that song so much. It makes me think about my dad. Do you have a copy of that?’ Of course at the time, I didn’t. I actually went home that night and made a work tape of it and I got her email and sent it to her. When it came time to choose songs for the album, it was pretty much a no brainer [to include the song]. I thought of that one experience and thought, ‘I wonder if there’s anybody else that can connect to it,'” Laird says.

Another profoundly personal song on the record deals with Laird’s grief after losing his childhood best friend.

“I think about what you’d be doin’ right now, your kids and my kids, they’d be hangin’ out. They’d be laughing about the clothes we wore and how much root beer we drank on your mama’s porch,” Laird sings.

While the record skillfully covers darkness, it also effortlessly sheds light on the many bright spots of Laird’s life. The charming, breezy “Hangin’ Out” tells the story of the Creative Nation power couple, from their early days, to building the beautiful life they have now. “Jake and Mack” further tells that story, in a love letter to the couple’s sons.

Photo: Spencer Combs

“Why I Am Who I Am” sums Laird’s childhood, the family he made, and his contentment. “The truth is I’m a product of a lot of love,” Laird sings, believably.

The project concludes with an ode to the music that has enriched his life and given him a career, in “Country Music Will Never Die.” The opening verse in the tune gives an ode to ’90s country, Laird’s favorite genre.

He continues to pay his respect to ’90s country on his new Apple Music Radio show, Country Replay Radio, where he helps listeners rediscover their favorite country hits from the ’90s to now while diving into the stories and songwriters behind those songs.

“Doing the radio show, it’s like when you write a song, you take yourself back into being a fan again. When you turn on the radio, what do you like to listen to?” Laird says. “That’s a little different than when you’re just sitting in a room, trying to come up with a great line. But playing songs for an hour on the radio, you do that a little differently than if you’re just sitting in a writing room. And believe me, I have so much more respect for real radio personalities at this point because I’m like ‘Oh my goodness, I’m so green. But it really has been a lot of fun.”

Read more of this interview in the upcoming MusicRow print issue.