Peter Yarrow's Forward to Kohn On Music Licensing

Forward to The Art of Music Licensing

Like a father talking to his son or daughter, in telling of The Art of Music Licensing, Al unfolds an encyclopedia of experience and information, gently and gracefully sharing the wisdom and joy of an art and expertise of which, with all humility, he reveals himself to be a master.

The fascination, affection, and almost reverential respect that Al holds for the songwriters and artists that he represents is an essential guidepost for the reader. I would venture to say that Al's whole being, as it permeates The Art of Music Licensing, is as much a model and resource as the technical information and good advice that he shares. Like Al, there is a gentleness to the word of caution about pitfalls and shortsightedness, and because it is Al who advises, there is the implicit instruction that the pursuit of success in the practice of licensing need never be a cutthroat game.

To Al, successful negotiation and guidance of licensing comes from an understanding and respect for the real value of the creative work, the diligent study of the extremely complex issues, precedents and processes surrounding the field of licensing, and a sympathetic view of some of the fears and confusions of those who want to do the best for their clients work (but are unsure as to how to proceed in the volatile and ever changing world of technology and labyrinthine law); but above all, one gets the message, imbedded in each sentence of the book, that fairness and understanding of both sides of the issues is the only road to ultimate success in the practice of the art of music licensing.

Al has spent a lifetime living his art, and what he shares in this prodigious work is much more than an encyclopedic textbook. Because Al has lived the golden ages of music, has been part of its creation and has represented the titans of music history, he is able to reveal, through loving anecdotes that illustrate the themes and premises of business practice, the real fun and energy, the behind-the-scenes personality, and understandable artistic compulsivity that is the world of music we inherit.

Al, as much as he is a teacher, is a bard weaving the history of the music business into a work that might well become a model for future attempts to communicate such complexity of information of any field or art form.

This book is a remarkable gift. It's much more than facts and figures. It's even much more than sound advice and a lifetime of wisdom.

It's Al, whom we all admire and love and who has managed, with the extraordinary partnership of a loving and gifted son, to help us remember who we are and might be, as we try to meet the challenges, and share the rewards and joys, of the music business.

Peter Yarrow
September, 1992

Peter Yarrow is a member of Peter, Paul & Mary and has been represented through Warner Bros. Music by Al Kohn for over 30 years as the writer and co-writer of such songs as Puff The Magic Dragon, Weave Me The Sunshine, Light One Candle, Torn Between Two Lovers, and Day Is Done.

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