Faculty Profile: John Barker

John Barker is the founder, President & CEO of ClearBox Rights, LLC, an independent IP rights managements company, based in Nashville, TN. (www.clearboxrights.com) John also founded ICG (Integrated Copyright Group) in 1990, which sold to BMG Rights in 2010. Before co-founding ICG, John was General Manager of Publishing and Copyrights for The Benson Company (1985-1989) and A&R Director for Word Records (1983-1985). John has worked with a wide variety of clients, including the catalogs of Marty Robbins, Roy Orbison, Ray Stevens, Craig Wiseman, Mike Reid, Paul Simon, Bill Monroe, John Anderson, Loretta Lynn, Allen Shamblin, Songwriters Guild of America, Senator Orrin Hatch, Music & Media International, Albert E. Brumley & Sons, Manna Music, Seals & Crofts, and many others.

He is past President and current board member of the Copyright Society of the South, a member of CMA, NARAS, Leadership Music 2012, ACM, Copyright Society of the U.S.A., and AIMP. In 2014, John co-organized IPAC (Interested Parties Advancing Copyright) to provide comments to the Music License Study, and participated in all three copyright office roundtables that year, and frequently visits congressional offices in D.C.

John has been married to his wife, Trudy, for over 33 years, and has two daughters and three granddaughters. His hobbies and interest include reading, biking, golf, family and church.

John publishes a blog related to songwriting, publishing and copyright issues. He can be followed at http://clearboxrights/wordpress.com or www.clearboxrights.com.