Acuff-Rose Music
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Acuff-Rose Music was an American music publishing firm headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee.
Acuff-Rose was formed by country music performer Roy Acuff and Fred Rose, a major Nashville music-industry figure who had a respected ability as a talent scout. Many country performers had been badly cheated in the past with regard to copyright and other rights to their creations. Many were unsophisticated and naive and were taken advantage of by unscrupulous agents, attorneys, record promoters, record labels and others. Acuff-Rose was affiliated with BMI and had a subsidiary firm, Milene Music which handled music from ASCAP member composers.
Acuff-Rose had its headquarters on 8th Avenue South in the Melrose district of Nashville and was something of a landmark to those knowledgeable of the music industry. It was here that Hank Williams, to prove his ability to Rose, wrote what would become hit song ("I Can't Help It If I'm Still in Love with You") while Rose went out to a nearby restaurant for a cup of coffee. Rose formed a friendship with Williams, as he did many performers.
On Fred Rose's passing in 1954, his son Wesley Rose served as president of Acuff-Rose.
Acuff-Rose Music also operated a record label, Hickory Records.
Acuff-Rose Music may be best-known for its role in the United States Supreme Court case Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music, Inc. (510 U.S. 569), 1994. This case was about the use by rap artist Luther Campbell (then using the alias "Luke Skyywalker") and his band 2 Live Crew a substantial amount of the Roy Orbison song "Oh, Pretty Woman" in a parody. District Court found in favor of Campbell; this was reversed at the appeallate level and the United States Supreme Court found in favor of Campbell and his parody to be a fair use.
Acuff-Rose was sold to the Gaylord Entertainment Company in 1985 and became part of Sony/ATV Music Publishing in 2002.
Jeff Tweedy pays homage to the strength of the catalog with the song "Acuff Rose" on Uncle Tupelo's final record "Anodyne." The lyrics include the line "Name me a song that everybody knows, And I'll bet you it belongs to Acuff-Rose."
