My apologies if this topic has been discussed before...

As a teacher of copyright law, it isn't true that just because an
album is out of print that it is legal to make a copy. Copyright
holders retain control over intellectual property regardless of
whether or not is in print until the copyright period expires. The
only way for a copyright holder to abandon their rights is to abandon
the copyright by not enforcing it. This is what happened to the movie
"It's A Wonderful Life." (and ironically the abandonment propelled it
to new viewing heights).

I tell my students that unless you can verify that a copyright has
been abandoned, don't copy it.

The matter is further complicated in that there may be more than one
copyright holder and/or the work may be a work for "hire" (the length
of copyright varies depending upon whether an individual or a
corporation holds the copyright).

A quick search of the United States Copyright Office database shows
that Applachian Melody is still under copyright protection. The
copyright holder is listed as "Solid Rock Records" (an employer for
hire situation) which means that most likely Larry Norman's heirs now
hold the copyright on the album. Without their permission, it is not
legal (or ethical) to copy the album.



--- In markheardmusiczone@yahoogroups.com, "James Morovich"
<treasureofthebrokenland@...> wrote:

>
> It converted from a vinyl so the sound is not CD quality, but it is
> free and legal because it is an out of print album.
>