Louise Lamothe

Disc-O-Logue Creator and Copyright Activist

Interview with Louise Lamothe.

Born in La Tuque, Québec on May 8, 1932, Louise Lamothe has been, throughout her career, a strong advocate for intellectual property rights in the music business. The following article outlines her life and professional activities.

Louise Lamothe was educated in La Tuque and Pointe-du-Lac, Québec and began working in Montreal in 1950 as a record sales clerk for Edmond Archambault Inc. After 7 years of practical experience in Montreal, Madame Lamothe, at the age of 26, opened her own music store, 'Centre de Musique Enr.' in La Tuque. She continued to own and operate the store until 1979.

To aid her in serving her customers, Madame Lamothe, in 1962, created Disc-O-Logue, a unique catalogue of French-language music available on records in Canada. Disc-O-Logue ceased publication in 1979.

In 1965, in addition to operating her store, Madame Lamothe began her involvement with intellectual property rights as the Canadian representative of the Harry Fox Agency www.nmpa.org/hfa.html in the U.S.A. The Fox Agency, established in 1927 by the Music Publisher's Association www.nmpa.org/ (later the National Music Publishers' Association), was established to licence and collect fees for mechanical and synchronization rights. These rights include the right to use published music in broadcasts, films, commercials and recordings. On their behalf Madame Lamothe collected information about recorded musical works available in Canada, and prepared a catalogue listing the related copyright information. She was a pioneer in the identification and collection of mechanical rights in Canada.

In 1968, Madame Lamothe was named Director General of S.D.R.M. (Canada) Ltée. (Société des droits de reproduction mécanique du Canada ltée). SDRM was founded in 1935 and was affiliated with the French rights organization the Société française de perception de droits d'auteur (S.A.C.E.M.) www.sacem.org/. Like the Harry Fox Agency, SDRM was concerned with three principal activities: the recorded use of copyrighted works in Canada, the enforcement of the Copyright Law and the collection of fees from record companies for the members of SDRM and SACEM when their works were recorded. Madame Lamothe continued as Director General until 1985. In 1985, SDRM Canada Inc. became la Société du droit de reproduction des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs du Canada Inc. (SODRAC). Madame Lamothe was a founder of this organization which in 1997 represented more than 3,000 Canadian lyricists, composers and publishers, as well as the interests of over 30 international rights agencies in Canada.

Madame Lamothe represented Canada and shared her perspective on copyright laws as a member of the Canadian delegation to the International Congress of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) in 1976 and 1978. She also participated in 1978 in the Summit of Cultural Industries (Sommet des industries culturelles) organized by the Government of Québec. The resulting policy paper La juste part des créateurs identified copyright protection as a significant concern for cultural industries. Madame Lamothe has also participated in many conferences and meetings concerning revisions to the Copyright Law.

Along with her business concerns, Louise Lamothe found the time to co-host, with Claude Landré, "En Primeur," a variety music television show on RALT-TV during the 1960's. She also worked as a concert promoter during that time, producing more than 50 shows in the La Tuque area featuring such artists as Ginette Reno, Claude Valade, Jen Roger, Les Classels, Les Baronets, Fernand Gignac, Michèle Richard, Michel Louvain and many others. With the support of local radio stations in Trois-Rivières, La Tuque and Shawinigan, she initiated a series of local talent contests, the first prize being a recording contract with London Records.

As if this were not enough activity for Madame Lamothe, she opened 'Boutique Louise', an art and gift shop that in the words of Phildar, with which she had an exclusive contract, was "la plus belle et la plus complète au Québec." (the most beautiful and most complete in Quebec).

Louise Lamothe has lived in Montreal since 1979.

Now see and explore this remarkable woman's unique creation, 'Disc-O-Logue'.

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