COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- A Colorado Springs bar owner has been fined $21,000 for violating copyright infringement by using songs of artists, including Toby Keith, on her karaoke machine.
Carey-On Saloon owner LaShawn Carey says she was entertaining soldiers just back from Afghanistan when four of them, backed by the karaoke machine, belted out Keith's "Courtesy of the Red, White & Blue" as the crowd cheered.
Carey says a song monitor in the crowd reported her and she was cited for playing seven songs used for karaoke without paying royalties.
According to the Colorado Springs Gazette (http://bit.ly/1h5foEK ), a bar, restaurant, cafe or other business that plays music to entertain patrons is required to pay licensing fees to performing rights organizations so musicians get paid for their work.
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