New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Downtown
Music Publishing has today announced a partnership with Booker T. Jones in a multi-faceted deal that covers the renowned multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer, and arranger's vast music publishing interests.
Under the terms of the agreement, Downtown has acquired Jones's interest in all of his biggest hits, including the iconic "Green Onions," which was written and recorded by Booker T. & The M.G.'s. The single is listed as one of Rolling Stone magazine's Greatest Songs of All Time, earned a Grammy Hall of Fame award in 1999, and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2018. In 2012, the song was added into the
National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress, a list of "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important" American sound recordings. It is considered by many to be the most well known instrumental song written in the modern era. Downtown will also be the long-term home for Jones's newly written song copyrights.
Earlier this year, Jones announced that he will be releasing his memoir, due in the fall of 2019 on Little, Brown and Co.
"I'm still in the same place as I was as a teenager who was so excited about making music," said Jones. "I couldn't be happier to find an incredible creative team to promote my catalog and collaborate with on my new material, who shares the same excitement in connecting music to people."
"It is a great privilege to announce this partnership with Booker T. Jones." said Downtown CEO Justin Kalifowitz. "It is a rare opportunity to work with someone whose storied career built the foundation of popular music and continues to inspire us with his songwriting and artistry today."
Jones's first foray into the music industry came at the age of 16, when he played baritone saxophone on "Cause I Love You" by Carla and
Rufus Thomas. Soon after, he would become the leader of the legendary Stax Records house band, serving as session musician and/or songwriter for artists such as Isaac Hayes and Otis Redding, and as frontman of his own band, Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Since then, Jones has recorded with some of the most well-known artists of the 20th and 21st century, including Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Bill Withers, Anthony Hamilton, and The Roots. Jones was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2007, and was honored with a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2007.
Charles J. Biederman and Michael Rexford from Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP represented Downtown in connection with the transaction, and Lisa A. Alter of Alter, Kendrick & Baron, LLP represented Booker T. Jones.
About Downtown
Music Publishing
Established in 2007, Downtown
Music Publishing is one of the world's leading rights-management firms with offices in major music markets around the globe, including New York, Nashville, Los Angeles, London, Amsterdam, Tokyo, Paris, and Sydney. The company's catalog spans over seven decades of popular music, encompassing some of the world's most beloved songwriters and artists including The Beatles,
John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Ryan Tedder, Benny Blanco, Hans Zimmer, The Kinks, One Direction, Mötley Crüe,
Robin Thicke, Naughty Boy, Hardwell, Sturgill Simpson, Santigold, Carla Bruni, and Social Distortion. Downtown
Music Publishing is wholly owned by Downtown & Company, which also owns New York-based Downtown
Music Studios and Songtrust, the world's largest technology platform for songwriting and music publishing royalties, which powers global royalty collection from over 120 territories and more than 20,000 unique income sources worldwide.
