The assumption that copyrigh, and suchlike necessarily protects the person who created the work in question doesn't always stand up.

Just take a look at the thread about Nic Jones.

There you have a great singer, whose performing days were ended by a tragic accident years ago - and, because some bastard owns the rights in his most important records and is playing silly buggers, these can't be made readily available to people who'd want to hear them. And Nic Jones and his family are deprived of the money they should be getting if the records could be re-released.