The pitfalls of public domain music

So if we take my experience today with Bessie Smith tracks we can easily see some of the pitfalls of trying to desipher the copyrighted and public domain material.

Lets take these three tracks from a database of recording I found at www.78discograohy.com

Track one:

Bessie Smith - Columbia Records - 14000D - Mainstream Daddy - a-side- Composed by Porter Grainger and Bob Ricketts.

This is most likely still under copyright, even though Bessie Smith died in 1937 Porter Grainger died in 1955. Thus this is still under copyright.

Track two:

Bessie Smith and piano L. Johns - 14018D - Columbia Records - Moonshine Blues - b-side -  Composed by Gertrude (Ma) Rainey (d. 1929)

Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith died over 70 years ago. However, it may be copyrighted with L. Johns, whose date of death I haven't managed to assertain yet.

Track three:

Bessie Smith - Columbia Records - 14018D - Boweaveel Blues - a-side - composed by Gertrude (Ma) Rainey

This track may well be in the public domain. Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith both died before 1946.

Sadly this is not the end of the search. The track also needs to be checked to see if the copyright was renewed or extended.

Track three is a candidate for checking the status of public domain. This is one of nearly thirty tracks of Bessie Smith's I have found which meet this criteria.