A judge dismisses a record company’s claim to 13 of the Jamaican reggae star’s songs following a dispute over publishing rights.   Bob Marley died May 11, 1981 from skin cancer. A music company has lost a High Court fight with a rival over the rights to 13 Bob Marley songs, including one of his most famous, No Woman, No Cry. Cayman Music and Blue Mountain Music went to trial in May after a dispute over a copyright agreement made in 1992. The case centred on the “construction” of the agreement – 11 years after the Jamaican reggae icon’s death on May 11, 1981 – under which copyrights in “various musical works” were transferred by Cayman. Cayman claimed that the 13 songs were not transferred under that agreement. Blue Mountain, which is responsible for administering rights transferred … Read entire article »

  The Bob Marley estate and the US-based fried chicken chain, Raising Cane’s have reportedly reached an out of court settlement in their legal dispute over the chain’s use of the slogan ‘One Love’. That slogan is widely associated with the reggae icon because it is the title of one of his biggest hits. Thursday’s online edition of the Louisiana based newspaper The Advocate quoted Todd Graves, founder and chief executive officer of Cane’s, that a “mutually beneficial agreement” was reached. The story also quotes Timothy Ervin attorney for Fifty-Six Hope Road Music Ltd, owned by Marley’s widow and children, as reporting that “mutually agreeable terms” led to a settlement. It was in December 2013 that Fifty-Six Hope Road sued for alleged trademark infringement. The estate claimed Cane’s never sought or obtained a license or … Read entire article »

  Bob Marley— A case involving copyright issues regarding some songs by international Reggae icon Bob Marley is set for the Chancery Division of the High Court in London on Tuesday, May 13. Being described as “the landmark trial” by Music-news.com, those involved are plaintiff Cayman Music, and Chris Blackwell’s Blue Mountain Music, the defendant. According to music-news.com, “The trial is over a number of important titles, the most significant of which is ‘No Woman, No Cry’, Bob Marley’s most famous song”. Cayman Music is reportedly suing Blue Mountain Music for “misattribution and diversion of income”, among other things, to retrieve ‘No Woman, No Cry’ and other songs such as ‘Crazy Baldhead’; ‘Johnny Was’; ‘Natty Dread’; ‘Rastaman Vibration’; ‘Rat Race’; ‘Rebel Music (Road Block)’; ‘So Jah Seh’; ‘Them Belly Full’; ‘Want More’; ‘War’; ‘Who the … Read entire article »