Title: Pop Song Controversy Has Pittsburgh Connection
Date: May 14, 2002
Soucre: ThePittsburghChannel.Com
Source: Channel 4, WTAE-TV
Source: http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/team4/1459279/detail.html
Location: US
Topic: News
WTAE-TV's Paul Van Osdol Reports
POSTED: 5:49 p.m. EDT May 14, 2002 UPDATED: 6:06 p.m. EDT May 14, 2002
PITTSBURGH -- A hit record is every songwriter's dream, and it became reality for local musicians Joe and David Granati and Sputzy Sparacino.
Their song, "Tell Me How To Make You Smile," was on Aaron Carter's debut album, but they are doing anything but smiling.
The following report by Team 4's Paul Van Osdol aired Tuesday on Action News at 5 p.m.
Aaron Carter is a huge star and teen idol who is worshiped by millions of young girls. Sputzy Sparacino is a 40-something guitarist and frontman for Sputzy and the Soul Providers.
But the teen sensation and the Pittsburgh bluesman have something in common: Sparacino and other writers get credit for the song on Carter's record, but they haven't gotten any royalties.
Sparacino: "You would expect to get something. I don't know how much, but you would expect something."
Van Osdol: "And you got nothing?"
Sparacino: "Absolutely nothing."
Sparacino and songwriters Joe and David Granati have filed suit against song publisher Sony Music, record company Edel America and co-writer Gary Carolla.
Carter's first CD sold more than 500,000 copies -- and that was just in Europe. But the local songwriters have not gotten a dime in royalties from record sales. And when they got some correspondence from the record company, they found out why.
A document obtained by Team 4 shows someone crossed out the 18 percent publisher's share of royalties that was supposed to go to Sparacino and each of the Granati brothers.
Tom Schmitt, Sparacino's attorney: "And that's what the royalty shares and monies paid out have been based on."
Van Osdol: "Are we talking about fraud here?"
Schmitt: "Possibly."
Spokesmen for Sony, Edel and Carolla deny any wrongdoing. They do not know why the Pittsburgh songwriters have not gotten paid.
Sparacino: "Somebody has got it somewhere. All we would like is our end."
Joe Granati: "To Sony, to Edel, to Gary and anyone else -- I'll tell you how to make me smile. Pay me."
The songwriters do not blame Carter for the dispute, just his former record company.
It is unclear how much in royalties the local musicians are owed.
Typical royalties are less than 10 cents per song, per album sold. That may not sound like much, but it adds up -- especially on a record that has sold more than a half-million copies.
