Long history of hardship among artists
The Jackson-Sharpton campaign draws its political force from a long history of racism in the US music business, most famously involving postwar blues singers such as Howlin' Wolf and John Lee Hooker, who were prevailed upon to sign contracts surrendering their copyright and almost any profits.
In 1994, donations of around $1m (£680,000) from the record industry were used to establish the Rhythm and Blues Foundation, which provides hardship grants to musicians of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s now living in poverty. Set up by Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown Records, it has given about $500,000 so far.
The same prejudice was blamed for the fact that the songwriter Otis Blackwell was still touring nightclubs when he died two months ago from a heart attack - despite a spectacular list of works to his name including All Shook Up and Return to Sender, sung by Elvis Presley, the Peggy Lee song Fever, and Great Balls of Fire, recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis.
"People from James Brown to Sammy Davis Jr, some of the real pioneers that inspired me to be an entertainer, these artists are always on tour, because if they stop touring, they would go hungry," Jackson said.
Those who argue that the problem persists point to the case of TLC, the hip-hop group whose singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes was killed in a plane crash in April.
Before her death, the band had been forced to declare bankruptcy despite making $100m in sales, paying themselves salaries of $75,000 (£51,000) and, in the words of the New York Times, spending "more like yuppies than like stars".
Their contract allowed them royalties on the sales of only 8% even for a platinum-selling album, while some artists get 13%.
In 1994, donations of around $1m (£680,000) from the record industry were used to establish the Rhythm and Blues Foundation, which provides hardship grants to musicians of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s now living in poverty. Set up by Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown Records, it has given about $500,000 so far.
The same prejudice was blamed for the fact that the songwriter Otis Blackwell was still touring nightclubs when he died two months ago from a heart attack - despite a spectacular list of works to his name including All Shook Up and Return to Sender, sung by Elvis Presley, the Peggy Lee song Fever, and Great Balls of Fire, recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis.
"People from James Brown to Sammy Davis Jr, some of the real pioneers that inspired me to be an entertainer, these artists are always on tour, because if they stop touring, they would go hungry," Jackson said.
Those who argue that the problem persists point to the case of TLC, the hip-hop group whose singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes was killed in a plane crash in April.
Before her death, the band had been forced to declare bankruptcy despite making $100m in sales, paying themselves salaries of $75,000 (£51,000) and, in the words of the New York Times, spending "more like yuppies than like stars".
Their contract allowed them royalties on the sales of only 8% even for a platinum-selling album, while some artists get 13%.

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