It wasn’t an advertisement. There was no money to pay beyond basic ASCAP/BMI.
How can Young deny him right to use when t-shirt printers cannot refuse to print “gay pride” propaganda?
I am not 100% sure that he can. It depends on what rights Young and the label maintain and you is managing the copyright. While it is likely ASCAP it isn’t always.
It’s just a complicated issue BUT you can’t just use it without someone paying rights to someone. that’s just basic copyright law. Typically, venues will hold a blanket ASCAP license so they can play anything where ASCAP holds the copyright. I just have no idea if that was the case here.
I just find it a fascinating legal exercise (sorry, just the lawyer in me). But I do know that no one can just use someone else’s song without permission in some form.