Reservoir buys Billy Strayhorn song catalogue
Reservoir Media has acquired the publishing catalogue of jazz composer Billy Strayhorn, the writer behind Take the 'A' Train and Lush Life.
The New York independent music company announced the deal on 19 October 2026. The price was not disclosed. The catalogue covers songwriting rights, the share of a song that earns royalties when music is recorded, performed, broadcast or used in film and advertising, Music Business Worldwide reported.
Alongside the songs, Reservoir will share in Strayhorn's name, image and likeness rights in partnership with his estate. That covers commercial uses of his identity, from merchandising to approved biographical projects.
The agreement extends a long link between the two sides. Reservoir said its relationship with Billy Strayhorn Songs, Inc. dates to 2014. The company supported events for the Strayhorn Centennial in 2015, which marked 100 years since his birth.
Strayhorn was born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1915. He joined Duke Ellington's band in 1939 and worked with Ellington until his death in 1967. His catalogue also includes Chelsea Bridge and Satin Doll. He entered the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984.
Reservoir confirmed the acquisition in an official press release, Reservoir Media. A second trade report noted that the purchase builds on its earlier work with the estate, Music Week.
What makes this stand out is the catalogue's working life. Take the 'A' Train became Ellington's signature theme. Lush Life, Chelsea Bridge and Satin Doll are still recorded and played by singers and instrumentalists. For listeners, this means the business behind those songs now sits with one owner.
That owner is a familiar buyer of older rights. Reservoir was founded as a family-owned music publisher in 2007 and now trades on NASDAQ under the ticker RSVR. It describes itself as an independent music company based in New York City, with offices including Los Angeles, Nashville, Toronto, London, Abu Dhabi and Mumbai.
