Sam Cooke's song "Nearer to Thee" is a version of a traditional hymn Nearer, My God, to Thee by Sarah Adams, 1841 which is free domain. However, when comparing the two songs, the only similarity is the chorus hook line "Nearer My God to Thee". I would like to use Sam Cooke's version in my book, but I am unsure if I need to have persmission. I can not find anything to say that he has copyright. Can I use it? Thanks.

Hello spijazz:

Violating a copyright is serious. I think your approach is backwards. Rather than to assume that a song is NOT copy protected (because you can't find anything to say so), I would assume (for the purpose of keeping you out of trouble), the opposite.

I suggest you hire a lawyer who can assure you whether you will be violating anyone's copyright.

excon

He recorded normally Art Rupe's Specialty Records during that time, But also remember he was with the Soul Stirrers, and not they may have actually owned the rights to the recordings, He joined their group, not them joinnig him. And it was not till they broke up that he changed recording labels.

From his bio, it h was his single in 1956 under the name Dale Cooke, that caused the Soul Stirrers to drop him from their group and from their recording label.

Billy Vera did the last release Compilatinion, and was Supervisor, Reissue Producer, Compilation Producer

[email protected] is the closest thing I can find of a email of someone who may have, or at least know who has the copyright on this

** yes it is copyrighted and I believe the compilation was re-copywritten