Seventy-eight years after establishing its first copyright, peermusic can proudly claim to be a major and still-independent publisher. Needless to say, that's no small achievement. Then again, it's no surprise, either. From its very beginnings, under the keen vision of legendary founder Ralph S. Peer, peermusic has consistently and relentlessly broken new ground on its way to becoming home to some of the best and brightest talent in music.What might come as a surprise is that the company modestly established by one man now boasts a 300,000-song-title catalog, not to mention 200+ employees populating 32 offices in 27 countries. In that sense, a lot has changed. To understand just how much has evolved-how a company launched by a yodel came to be represented by more than 20 nominations at the 2002 Latin Grammy Awards-is to know the peermusic story.Bristol, Tennessee, summer 1927. Ralph S. Peer, a field-recording engineer and A&R man who, only a few years prior, had not only assisted in the first blues recording, but also co-produced the first commercially successful country session, arrived in town to scout fresh local talent on behalf of the Victor label. During the next two weeks, he recorded the first sessions by Jimmie Rodgers and The Carter Family, among others, giving birth to modern country music. Yet that was only a portion of his achievement. Peer also saw the untold potential for copyright ownership of original material from previously ignored niche markets, such as early African-American and country music.And so, in January 1928, the company that would one day be peermusic was established under the name Southern Music. Peer wasted little time, acquiring such soon-to-be-standards as "Georgia on My Mind," "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," and "You Are My Sunshine." Furthermore, under an arrangement with Victor, Southern Music controlled copyrights to all original material recorded under Peer's auspices. When Victor sought to increase its Latin-American influence, Southern Music moved far beyond its rural origins-into Puerto Rico, Mexico, Argentina, and Cuba, signing such Latin luminaries as Agustin Lara and Perez Prado. At the same time, Peer entered into joint ventures with local publishers, introducing their finest material to U.S. audiences. When considering peermusic's substantial presence in the Latin music world includes worldwide classics:Perfidia - Besame Mucho - Brasil - Mas Que Nada - BahÃa - Guadalajara - Sin Tà - Cu Cu Rru Cu Cú Paloma - Amor - Frenesà - Granada - Sólamente Una Vez - Cuando Calienta El Sol (Love Me With All Your Heart) - Mambo ..5While the '30s saw peermusic extending its presence in Latin America, the company was also opening offices throughout Europe. By the end of World War II the once-fledgling indie had truly become a worldwide force, acquiring and developing local repertoire throughout Europe. Yet it hadn't forgotten where it came from. By the '50s, peermusic was as vested in U.S. artists and their music as ever, determined not to merely remain current, but to be one step ahead of the curve. Fact is, at the dawn of rock 'n' roll, peermusic signed none other than Buddy Holly. Before long, Holly's influence gave rise to a new wave of artists, many of whom-from The Rolling Stones to Donovan-found a home with the company.Unfortunately, Ralph S. Peer passed away on January 19, 1960, just as music was charting a bold new course through popular culture. Fortunately, peermusic didn't lose a step, thanks to Peer's widow, Monique, who deftly guided the company for the next 20 years, particularly continuing the focus on beloved Latin music when many other publishers considered that market to be bygone. In 1980 leadership passed to the capable hands of Peer's son, Ralph Peer II. Like his father, Peer II has a knack for perceiving new opportunities. Since his tenure began, peermusic has expanded its operations into nine new territories, including three offices in Asia-Pacific. In 1990, he referred to the Internet as the "tool of the future" in music marketing and established a company Web site, peermusic.com, as early as 1995. And in 1998, peermusic became the first international music company equipped with a different kind of Web site - digitalpressure.com, which offers direct downloads of master recordings for sale. Even e-mail was embraced early on as a means of keeping a network of worldwide offices working closely together-the benefits of which became readily apparent when, for instance, the Nashville office placed a Jimmie Rodgers song in an Irish children's TV show via the Dublin office. "Connectivity" has become an extension of peermusic's inherent teamwork in the service of great music and the artists who make it.To get a sense of the great music that shapes peermusic's catalog, you'll need a sense of the groundbreaking artists who have recorded peermusic copyrights. The following is just a sample to whet the appetite:Elvis Presley - Buddy Holly - Jerry Lee Lewis - Frank Sinatra - Dean Martin - Nat King Cole - Bing Crosby - Hank Williams - Willie Nelson - Garth Brooks - Boy George - Herman's Hermits - The Allman Brothers - Rod Stewart - Julio Iglesias - Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Desi Arnaz - Jaguares - Luis Miguel - Xuxa - Ray Charles - Whitney Houston - James Ingram - Al Jolson - Louis Armstrong - The McGuire Sisters - The New York Philharmonic - Michael Bolton - Art Garfunkel - Edith Piaf - Hoagy Carmichael - The Carter Family - Jimmie Rodgers - And, yes, Donald DuckAnd that's just the back catalog. At the dawn of a new millennium, peermusic is as committed to representing new and developing talent as it was during that sweltering summer back in Bristol. Consider up-and-coming artist Aaron Soul, signed to peermusic (U.K.) in 2001 with an exclusive worldwide publishing deal. A leading exponent of the U.K. garage sound, Soul has already scored a Top 20 smash with "Ring, Ring, Ring," a song that also appeared on the soundtrack album Bridget Jones' Diary, which has sold more than 3 million copies worldwide.Few publishing companies can boast such an esteemed roster of songwriters as peermusic. Among peermusic's talented songwriters:Legendary writer-producer David Foster - Bush front man Gavin Rossdale - Stewart Harris, nominated for Song of the Year for "Angels in Waiting" at the 2002 Country Music Awards - Cutting edge Surco/Universal band MOLOTOV - Grammy award -winning New Age Artist KITARO - Diamond Rio keyboardist Dan Truman - R&B writer/producer, Tricky Stewart who has penned and produced hits by Britney Spears, B2K, Blu Cantrell and MYA. - BMG recording artist and songwriter DONATO POVEDANot only is peermusic abundantly represented in the top-selling work of today's biggest artists; its presence is also felt in popular TV series and movies, among them:Sex and the City - The Simpsons - The Sopranos - Friends - Y Tu Mama Tambien - The Life of David Gale - Confessions of a Dangerous Mind - Moulin Rouge - O Brother, Where Art Thou?Needless to say, O Brother, Where Art Thou? holds a special place in the hearts of the folks at peermusic. Sure, the soundtrack has sold more than 6 million copies in the U.S. alone, making it the best-selling country soundtrack of all time and ranking it ..12 on the RIAA list of best-selling movie albums. And sure, controlling six of the collection's titles proved extremely rewarding. But that's not the point. O Brother, Where Art Thou? marked a crossroads, for those six songs were culled from those early copyrights of the firm, which hadn't received deserved exposure in many decades. It also signified a coming together of old and new, where peermusic's humble beginnings meshed with the present day in ways no one could've foreseen. Except, perhaps, Ralph S. Peer, whose keen vision had once again broken new ground and, in doing so, reminded us why, with one foot in the past and the other planted firmly in the future, peermusic is now more vital than ever.
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