ues to be divided over a number of
issues, including digital royalties
and public performance licensing.
So, where the 70s, 80s and 90s are
viewed by some as the golden age
of the music business, the 00s and
10s have been a perilous time of
change.
My Music Background and
Transition to Law
I have been a musician as long as I
can remember–singer/songwriter/
guitar player. In my twenties my
plan was to become a rock star. I
graduated with an Economics degree, and German minor, from the
University of Virginia in 1996 and
decided to form a rock band after
graduation.
I waited tables and bartended on the
side while I auditioned musicians
for my band. We started small, but
ended up playing upwards of 150
shows a year, playing at places like
the famed CBGB and Wetlands in
NYC. We shared the stage with national acts like the Charlie Daniels
Band and Cheap Trick and released
several CDs.
Eventually, after nine years I called
it quits for being basically worn out
and struggling financially. I was always good at paperwork though,
managing the band and reviewing contracts, and my grandfather
had been a lawyer–why not merge
music and law and become a music
lawyer? Long days followed.
I was fortunate after law school to
be offered a position at Alston &
Bird in Atlanta doing intellectual
property transactions, copyright
law and music law. I started building Alston’s music practice and
had the incredible good fortune
to be trained by several outstanding, veteran lawyers. Alston was
gracious and supportive, and after
four years I had done music deals
with Sony ATV,
Dave Matthews,
and Pearl Jam,
to name a few.
My trajectory at
Alston was interrupted when
I was offered an
opportunity to
become Turner’s
music lawyer,
and I accepted.
Three years later, I assumed the
reigns as head of
Turner’s Music
Group.
Music Law
at Turner
Brenton performing for his son Liam's Pre-K class.
A t Tu r n e r , I
ove r s e e l e g a l
and business affairs matters relating to creation
and use of music worldwide. I
have done deals with major artists,
from Bruce Springsteen to Tim McGraw, and performing rights organizations (PROs) like ASCAP and
The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association THE ATLANTA LAWYER
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