When I started in the music business, I had to gain the trust of the “Gatekeepers,” the people behind the artists. I had to prove to them that I would take good pictures of their clients, and submit them to legitimate magazines. The first person that trusted me was a guy by the name of Scott Cameron. He was a little guy from the south suburbs, who managed giants. When I first met him, he was managing Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon, people that I never thought I would be able to get access to. But, lo and behold, he took a liking to me, and started calling me whenever his guys were playing in the area. He always treated me with total respect, and gave me all the access I needed. Through the years, as his clients passed away, he became the executor of Muddy’s estate, and retained many of my photos on his website. When someone called about using one of them, he would direct them to me, telling the potential client that only I had the right to make that decision. He was truly the most honest man I have ever met in the music business.
His business transitioned to selling soda pop!! “Get your kicks with Route 66 Beer
He also had this philosophy, which many people did not know:
“From day one it has always been my philosophy that if a record company or music publisher has one-dollar due to a writer, artist or their family, it belongs to that writer, artist or family, not in the company’s accounts.” – Scott Cameron
So he spent a lot of his time researching and collecting back royalties and publishing funds for the heirs of artists that sometimes didn’t know they were owed that money. From his website:
According to Scott A. Cameron, President & CEO, “We became aware of the rights of the artist when we discovered that Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon were not receiving royalties anywhere near the amounts they should have been due to the hundreds of songs they had written and recordings they had made. Our research at the Library of Congress Copyright Offices discovered both been induced to sign agreements that divested them of their rights and the rights of their families for the life of their copyrights and any renewals.”
“In 1976, on behalf of Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon we engaged attorneys, provided them with information and assistance in bringing legal actions against a certain music publisher. While the cases eventually settled, the rights to their individual songwriting catalogs were returned to them in full. The catalogs are now benefitting their families for many years to come. A few years later we guided attorneys successfully through similar legal actions on behalf of the family of Jimmy Reed.”
“We are constantly researching ‘lost’ royalties and the family members who may be due these funds as heirs to the writer or artist. Many potential heirs may be distantly related, however, that does not diminish their right to claim royalties and rights that would be due the writer or artist if he or she were still alive today.” noted Matthew S. Cameron, V.P. Client Relations. “While every recovery may not be a major one, our philosophy is that if there is one dollar due to our clients, they should have it and not the music publisher or recording company.”
To lear more about this amazing guy, click here.
Scott passed away last week, and he will be greatly missed by the music community, and anyone who believes in the rights of artists ANYWHERE!!