Michael Musto just became a hero

Michael Musto just became a hero to me because he was on MSNBC talking about the Wedding video and this latest video being great for advertising music. He said that record companies are hurting and videos drive sales of CD's. He's right.




So how does this make him a hero to me. My videos! No, my videos will never come close to hitting the kind of hits videos like this one did. Mine are geared to PTSD and veterans, providing understanding and support. I've taken over half my life and crunched down what I know into videos lasting under half an hour, most lasting under 10 minutes. I use mostly old songs to help deliver the message that hope lives on no matter how bad things seem right now.

The videos I created took a long time to put together and a small fortune to buy the CD's searching for the right song to go along with the video. Aside from the educational purposes, these videos also end up being free advertising for the group and the record company. YouTube and the record companies decided that they didn't want their music used on videos, but only on selected videos, not all of them.

This is what one of the messages looked like

Video Disabled

A copyright owner has claimed it owns some or all of the audio content in your video Hero After War With PTSD. The audio content identified in your video is I'll Stand By You by Pretenders. We regret to inform you that your video has been blocked from playback due to a music rights issue.


It didn't matter that this song was used with permission. I emailed the Pretenders and let them know about the music. I was told that Chrissie Hynde would feel honored to be able to help the veterans with this song once I explained what the video was for.

It happened with Toby Keith. I used a couple of his songs on When War Comes Home Part Two. Again, another pull from YouTube, I fought it and the release was given by the music company. It was too late. The music was muted so that people could still watch the video. By the time I received the release, I couldn't get the music to play again, so I deleted it, tried to upload it again but received a message saying the song was in violation of copyright. That's when I had enough.

Ever since I pulled my videos off YouTube, they have not been able to help as many people. They are now on Great Americans, which does not receive as much traffic. It breaks my heart that this is happening especially when I go into YouTube and find the same music I use on someone else's video, but the song is playing loud and clear.

Michael Musto is right on the mark when he said it's free advertising. People asked me about the songs I used so they could go out and buy the CD. Since, as I said, I use old songs, this drives demand for songs that had been forgotten. Most of the songs stopped getting air time years ago unless they occasionally pop up on the oldies stations. Some of the songs I used received no air time at all, buried in a CD and would not have had any publicity at all otherwise but truly touching songs.

One of the other videos I did, The Hardest Times You Could Imagine, was for women veterans. The song by Skylark was stuck in my head. I couldn't find the music anywhere, so I emailed the agent. After months of working with the agent, the group and the record company, I received the music file and support of Skylark and EMI plus the man who wrote the lyrics, Dave Richardson. He was touched by what I created with his words.
This is part of the email he wrote.

Valley Hennell has been forwarding the details of your contact with her to me, and last night I watched the "Hardest Times" video. I am honoured that the lyrics I wrote so long ago are still being used to bless others in a manner such as you describe with these women - may the Lord bless them abundantly for everything they endure in serving their country. And may He bless you as well, Chaplain Kathie, for all you do in your service to Him and to your country.......

The song, was Wildflower very popular in the 70's but hardly ever heard on the radio. Think of a song thirty years old helping women veterans heal from what was asked of them. What is really amazing about these videos is that they are touching even the newer veterans.

The artists care about our veterans and they want to give back. Each video I create, I am prepared to pull if the artist does not want their music to be used. So far that has not happened. I had to pull them because of software!

YouTube should set up a way for educational videos to not be trapped in their software searching for copyright music that does not break the rules. They not only provide support, education and help for the veterans, but they also offer artists and record companies a new way of reaching people that may have never heard the song without it. I really wish they would do this or actually either make sure that if they want to stop people from using music they do to everyone or allow them to be used at least as free publicity for the songs. People work hard putting these videos together and we don't get paid for any of the work we do. You'd think that would penetrate the record executives heads so they would be more than happy to allow all their music to be used but they never think of it that way.

Maybe with the exposure of the Wedding and Divorce videos, this will change but at what price for hurting troops, veterans and their families? No matter what I wrote in all these years, it did not have the same affect on the veterans as these videos. They are being used all over the country to help our veterans heal. Therapist are using them working with veterans for heaven's sake! Last year I received an award from the IFOC for my work. One of the videos, PTSD Not God's Judgment is being used to help police officers and firefighters heal from PTSD. Think of how many other people these videos could be helping if YouTube would stop the nonsense. Maybe they will take the advice Michael Musto just gave and give video creators a break.