Merry Clayton Quotes

Just because my song was being played on the radio didn't mean I had a load of money. You don't get royalties overnight.

I can do anything onstage. Here's the misconception: You could record an album called 'The Best of Styx.' And all you would have to do is pay the individual songwriters a mechanical royalty.

The songs certainly have not made my fortune, but I am still grateful for the royalties when they come in.

Every time we buy a CD or download a song, the artist is paid for their work. You might not know that this isn't the case when a musician's work is played on the radio.

I'd never been paid for the first Roses LP - it was 2002 before we received any royalties.

I am a co-writer of 'Survivor,' so there's publishing that I'll receive for some of the records.

When people who are songwriters say 'That's my property and if you give it away for free then I'll lose my incentive,' then, well, good riddance.

I'm singing the music publisher's theme song - it ain't a commercial.

I've never gotten money from most of those records. And I made those records: In the studio, they'd just give me a bunch of words, I'd make up a song! The rhythm and everything. 'Good Golly Miss Molly'! And I didn't get a dime for it.

I do pay performance royalties on others' songs I perform live, but I'm not recording these songs and putting them up for sale.

I don't want to have to talk to a lawyer if I want to jam with someone or if I want to sing on someone's album.

The purpose of VEVO is to continue the tradition of corporations preventing artists from making money on their art.

As songwriters, we are lucky to have ASCAP on our side, offering support and fighting for our rights.

If somebody makes a record, no matter how many years later it's released, they or their families should be entitled to the proceeds.

I'll go to the movies and hear 'Angel From Montgomery' in some film, and nobody ever even told me about it. They don't tell you your stuff is going to be in a movie. They don't have to, so they don't tell you. You get paid eventually.

I'm the only artist who got paid by Puff, like really, really, paid.

When I signed my first record deal, I brought it over to my lawyer to look over.

There are so many songs I've recorded, only to hear other people singing them. It happens all the time.

Well I know I was contracted to Polydor so they couldn't use my name.

There's definitely some sort of dissent brewing between labels, publishing companies and artists. A lot of it has to do with older licensing schemes.

A hundred years ago, of course, the question that the German Composers' Co-operative asked itself sounded a lot more fundamental: How do you create a fair share for those who ensure that works can actually be performed at all?

When I was in N.W.A. and didn't get paid all the money I was owed, that's when the business side of showbiz hit me.

I'm the only girl songwriter that fights for a lot of things. I fight for songwriting fees, which record labels want you to shut up about.

Every time I release an album my old record company releases another one.

Sammy Davis, Andy Williams, Tony Bennett... their records sell in the millions; when I do it, it just trickles. But for the composer and lyricist, there's a tidy bit to be made that way, too, so I don't really mind.