Raleigh Music Publishing and ICM Crescendo Acquire the Tim Hardin Song Catalog

Brings "If I Were a Carpenter," "Reason to Believe" and the Songbook of One of the 1960s' Most Admired Writers into the Raleigh/ICM Portfolio

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, October 28, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Raleigh Music Publishing ("Raleigh") and ICM Crescendo Music Royalty Fund ("ICM Crescendo") today announced that their joint venture has acquired the U.S. and certain foreign music publishing rights to almost the entire song catalog of Tim Hardin. The acquisition includes the copyrights in the United States and four major British Reversionary Territories (BRT), together with U.S., BRT, and certain worldwide administration rights to the catalog in perpetuity.

The Tim Hardin catalog is the first acquisition completed under the joint venture Raleigh and ICM Crescendo formed earlier this year to acquire classic music publishing catalogs. Raleigh will administer the catalog and lead its royalty collection, synchronization licensing and promotion efforts.

Born in Eugene, Oregon, in 1941, Tim Hardin emerged from the Greenwich Village folk scene of the early 1960s with a voice and pen that blended folk, blues and jazz. His peers recognized his gift early. Bob Dylan reportedly called him "the greatest living songwriter."

Hardin's songs found their widest audience in the hands of other artists. "If I Were a Carpenter" became a Top 10 hit for Bobby Darin in 1966 and was later recorded by Johnny Cash and June Carter, the Four Tops and Robert Plant. The song is featured in Just in Time, the hit Broadway musical about Bobby Darin's life now playing in New York. "Reason to Believe" was recorded by Rod Stewart, the Carpenters and Neil Young, among many others. Songs including "Misty Roses," "Lady Came from Baltimore," "Hang On to a Dream" and "Black Sheep Boy" have drawn generations of interpreters, from Johnny Mathis, Dolly Parton, Joan Baez, Scott Walker, The Fifth Dimension, Glen Campbell, Astrud Gilberto, Karen Dalton, Nico, Bob Seger and Three Dog Night to contemporary indie artists.

Hardin performed at the Woodstock festival in 1969. He died in 1980, but his songs have remained in steady use across recordings, film, television and advertising.

"When we formed this joint venture, we said we expected to move quickly on the right opportunities. The Tim Hardin catalog is exactly the kind of iconic body of work we set out to acquire, and it shows what the partnership can do. 'If I Were a Carpenter' and 'Reason to Believe' are as moving today as when he wrote them, and there is a whole songbook behind them waiting to be rediscovered."
— Steven Storch, President, Raleigh Music Publishing

"Tim Hardin wrote songs that other great artists couldn't resist. We're honored to be the stewards of this catalog, and there could be no better first acquisition for our partnership with ICM Crescendo."
— Peter Raleigh, President, Raleigh Music Publishing

"The Tim Hardin catalog combines cultural significance with a long record of covers and licensing activity. It is a strong first transaction for our joint venture with Raleigh, and we look forward to building on it together."
— David Vankka, President and Portfolio Manager, ICM Asset Management

About Raleigh Music Publishing
Raleigh Music Publishing is an independent music publisher founded in 2016 by Peter Raleigh and Steven Storch, specializing in the acquisition and administration of both classic song catalogs and contemporary songwriters and artists. The company's portfolio includes some of the most recognized song copyrights in popular music. Raleigh's catalogs include songs by Elvis Presley, George Gershwin, Alan Jay Lerner, Tim Hardin, Jr. Walker & The All Stars and Willy DeVille. The company's licensing and digital teams actively promote the catalog across film, television, advertising, and social media platforms. Raleigh is based in Times Square, New York City, with offices and a recording studio in Miami.

About ICM Crescendo Music Royalty Fund
ICM Crescendo Music Royalty Fund is a private investment fund that provides investors with access to the music royalties asset class through investments in music publishing catalogs and royalty-generating musical compositions. The Fund partners with experienced music industry operators to source, acquire and manage music rights opportunities. The Fund is managed by ICM Asset Management, a Canadian alternative investment manager founded in 2003. Today, ICM manages more than $2 billion in assets through specialized investment strategies spanning music royalties, real estate, private credit, and venture capital. As of June 2026, the Fund's portfolio included more than 6,500 songs across more than 50 catalogs, representing over 500 artists.

Alexa Kishner
Raleigh Music Publishing
alexa@raleighmusicgroup.com
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