a song was played.
"BDS has been able to track our songs more precisely and let the licensees know what they were paying for," said veteran Country and gospel songwriter Jerry Salley, a SESAC affiliate since 1978 with cuts by Toby Keith, Reba McEntire, Joe Nichols and Darryl Worley.
"This industry is changing. For the most part, the PRO industry was stuck in the 1950s. We need to be innovative. ... We will continue to watch the trends," Collins said.
Tradition and innovation aside, SESAC executives and affiliates agree that the company's single most valuable asset is its service.
"Service is very important to us," Collins said. "Our strategy is to continue to stand alone on the service platform."
The company's size - approximately 5,000 songwriter affiliates and 4,000 publisher affiliates compared to tens of thousands represented by ASCAP and BMI - contributes to its ability to provide individualized attention to its songwriters and publishers.
Three quarters of a century later, SESAC's repertoire contains some of gospel and Country Music's most beloved and popular copyrights. The gospel standard "I'll Fly Away" is represented by SESAC alongside current Country hits such as Kenny Chesney's "Young" and Lonestar's "Mr. Mom."
While SESAC is steeped in gospel and Country copyrights, the company has opened its doors through the years to other genres and now represents top composers and publishers in the areas of urban, TV and film music, jazz, rock, pop and adult contemporary.
The diverse catalog has not muddled the company leaders' vision. At the same time SESAC moves forward, the company won't forget its past.
"The tradition of this company is strong, built on shoulders of being visionary and hard working. Heinecke had a vision for where the industry was going," said Pat Collins, SESAC's President and Chief Operating Officer.
Heinecke, though a pioneer in the performing rights arena, likely had no idea of the technological discoveries that lay ahead, innovations that SESAC eagerly embraced.
In the mid-1990s, SESAC became the first performing rights organization to use Broadcast Data Systems, (BDS) a tracking system that at the time revolutionized
the music licensing industry by providing information about exactly when and where
August 9, 2005
© courtesy of SESAC
SESAC Celebrates 75 Years of Service, Tradition and Innovation
By Crystal Caviness
The story of SESAC occasionally has been compared to the tale of "The Little Engine That Could." Much smaller than its sister U.S. performing rights organizations, BMI and ASCAP, SESAC has spent three-quarters of a century building its business strategically focused on three principles: service, tradition and innovation - words that now grace the company's 75th anniversary logo.
SESAC, headquartered on Nashville's Music Row, opened its doors in 1935 and began a mission dedicated to representing the rights of songwriters and publishers. And like the hero of the classic story, SESAC has triumphed into a vibrant, thriving company.
In its earliest days, founder Paul Heinecke sought to ensure the rights of songwriters and publishers in the often-overlooked categories of gospel and Country Music.
"Being the biggest isn't always the best. It sounds corny, but it's always been like a family to me," said Salley, who was SESAC's 2003 Songwriter of the Year.
"I think the size does help keep it that way; they are so selective in who they sign. I think their choice in who they affiliate has had a lot to do with that. I'm proud of people who care about who they are affiliated with," Salley said.
While the company has made an asset out of its affiliate count, strategic song catalog acquisitions has resulted in a market share increase through the years.
The company is preparing for its future, which, Collins said, includes "very controlled growth, built on sound economic principles. We don't want to grow too fast."
Music Row observers will notice the company also is growing in square footage. SESAC recently moved a portion of its operation to the former Mercury Nashville building on Music Square West, just across the alley from its headquarters at 55 Music Square East. The company also has offices in New York, Los Angeles and London.
"It's a wonderful thing for this company to be an alternative to what has traditionally been a BMI or ASCAP choice," Collins said. "We have the imagination to see where the world of music might go. This company wants to see the industry develop with everyone's best interest at heart."
On the Web: www.sesac.com
® 2005 CMA Close Up News Service/Country Music Association, Inc
SESAC President and Chief Operating Officer Pat Collins; Photography courtesy of SESAC
SESAC's 2003 Songwriter of the Year Jerry Salley; Photography courtesy of SESAC
