Dennis Sinnott - biography

Dennis Robert Sinnott is a music industry expert. His career began in 1970 in the trade department of the KPM group of music publishing companies in London, where he specialized in the publication of classical and popular music.

In 1972 he transferred to the copyright department and in 1974, when EMI took over the company, he was promoted to copyright manager of B. Feldman & Co. Ltd (within the EMI group).

In 1976 he was promoted to Head of Copyright at EMI Music Publishing. This included Keith Prowse, The Peter Maurice Music Co.Ltd., Macmelodies, Ardmore & Beechwood, World Wide Copyrights, Francis Day & Hunter, Robbins, Screen Gems, Metromedia, New York Times Music, Music of the Times, Combine

Music, Al Gallico Music, B. Feldman & Co. Ltd., and several hundred additional companies making it the largest international music publishing organization in the world.

Dennis' responsibility was in the protection of EMI Music's publishing intellectual property rights - a repertoire of over one million works ranging from classical to rock, pop to ballad, country to reggae, opera to stage, old-time musical hall, drama, film theme, background and incidental music for television, radio, cinema and modern songs of all types.

In addition to the protection of the company's works, his specialty was in licensing rights domestically and globally including synchronization, advertising, grand rights for stage musicals and all other forms of commercial publication. In addition to administering the world's largest publishing group, he was also instrumental in negotiating deals with many super groups and solo writer/performers, including Queen, Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Wishbone Ash, Jeff Beck, Mud, Medicine Head, Be-Bop Deluxe, the Hollies, Bob Dylan and scores of other hugely successful acts.

In 1977 Dennis accepted a Directorship at Velvet Music Ltd, Orange Publishing Ltd and Milmarsh Music Ltd where he signed new and successful writers internationally, and participated in several global conferences including Midem. Some of the many acts signed to Orange were John Miles ("Music Was My First Love") Nigel Benjamin, English Assassin, Chip Hawkes (from the Tremeloes and father of Chesney Hawkes), Ritchie Hale & the Stormers ("Punkski"), Cock Sparrer, the Little Roosters, Kenny Ball and many others. In 1983 he formed Christel Music Ltd for the purposes of administering companies and providing a consultancy service to the music and record industry as a whole.

To date Dennis has represented organizations throughout the world and has resolved numerous copyright disputes, has negotiated record, publishing, management and production contracts, securing deals involving artists such as: Jamiroque (Jason Kay) for Re-Elect the President and EMI, John Miles at Night of the Proms and the Tina Turner tour, Rick Wakeman for PXM and EMI, Jeff Calvert (writer and producer of "Barbados" and "I Lost My Heart To A Starship Trooper" vis Sarah Brightman), Peter Moss (composer of the tv series Grange Hill, Freddie Starr Showcase and the Huddlines with Roy Hudd - BBC), Jane McDonald (tv series - the Cruise; Star For a Night), and hundreds more.

He also specializes in evaluating copyrights and is a technical consultant in the formation of publishing, management, record, and production companies. dennis@americanmusicindustry.com

His books include:

How To Start Your Own Music Publishing Company

Everything You Need To Start Your Own Digital Label

Masters of Songwriting