APPENDIX F
Resources for Texas Musicians and Rooms
A starting directory of the agencies, organizations, and support the book points to.
Throughout the book, certain agencies and organizations come up again and again. This appendix gathers them in one place as a starting directory. It is not an endorsement or a guarantee, and — importantly — contacts, fees, programs, and eligibility all change over time, so verify the current details directly with each organization before you rely on them.
PERFORMING RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS (ROYALTIES & LICENSING)
ASCAP — Performance royalties for songwriters; free to join as a writer. (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.) ascap.com
BMI — Performance royalties for songwriters; free to join as a writer. (Broadcast Music, Inc.) bmi.com
SESAC — Performance royalties; affiliation is by invitation only. sesac.com
GMR (Global Music Rights) — A boutique PRO; affiliation is by invitation only. globalmusicrights.com
Songview — The free joint copyright-lookup database from the four PROs. ascap.com/songview
Songwriters affiliate with one PRO to collect public-performance royalties; rooms that play music generally need licenses from the PROs whose catalogs they use. See Chapter Thirty, and consult an entertainment attorney for your situation.
TAXES & BUSINESS
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) — Self-employment tax, Schedule C, Form 1099-NEC, and estimated quarterly taxes. irs.gov
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts — The Texas sales-and-use tax permit, and sales tax on merch. comptroller.texas.gov
See Chapters Twenty-Eight and Twenty-Nine. For your own numbers, work with a CPA or tax professional — this appendix is a directory, not tax advice.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
U.S. Copyright Office — Registering your songs and recordings. copyright.gov
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) — Trademarking a band name or logo. uspto.gov
See Chapter Thirty-One, and consult an intellectual-property or entertainment attorney before relying on any filing.
ALCOHOL, VENUE & COMPLIANCE (FOR ROOMS)
Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) — Alcohol licensing, seller-server certification, and compliance. tabc.texas.gov
Dram-shop liability and TABC compliance carry real legal exposure — consult an attorney and your insurance professional, not just this list.
TEXAS MUSIC INDUSTRY SUPPORT
Texas Music Office (TMO) — The state’s music-business clearinghouse: the Music Friendly Texas program, a venue/festival rebate program, and plain-language guides on licensing, taxes, and operations. gov.texas.gov/music
A genuinely useful first stop for both musicians and rooms doing business in Texas.
HEALTH & WELLBEING (MUSICIANS)
Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM) — Access to affordable healthcare for greater-Austin working musicians. myhaam.org
SIMS Foundation — Mental-health and substance-use recovery support for the Austin music community. simsfoundation.org
MusiCares (The Recording Academy) — National health, financial, and emergency assistance for people who work in music. musicares.org
Service areas, eligibility, and programs vary and change; reach out directly to learn what each offers and who qualifies.
⚠️ A WORD ON ALL OF THE ABOVE This is a map, not advice. Anywhere the book — or this list — touches a legal, tax, or financial matter, it speaks in generalities; the specifics of your situation belong with a qualified professional. Use the directory to know who to call, then call the right professional for the answer that actually fits you. |
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Use the resource that matches the decision in front of you. A tool supports judgment; it does not replace current law, venue policy, qualified professional advice or the person responsible for the operation.