Singer Chuck Berry sues karaoke .....

[Harold_Z]

Singer Chuck Berry sues karaoke distributors

By Kemp PowersThu Nov 10, 3:05 PM ET

Rock 'n' roll pioneer Chuck Berry has sued three leading karaoke music distributors, claiming they sold sing-along versions of his most popular hits without paying royalties or obtaining licenses.

If he prevails in court, Berry, 79, stands to gain several hundred thousand dollars for each of his songs, including such hits as "Johnny B. Goode," "Maybellene" and "My Ding-A-Ling," his lawyer, Peter Haviland, told Reuters on Wednesday.

His lawsuit filed on Monday names three leading karaoke distributors in North America -- UAV Corp. of Fort Mill, South Carolina, Madacy Entertainment of Montreal and Top Tunes Inc. of Hilliard, Ohio. Representatives from the three companies could not immediately be reached for comment.

Karaoke is a sing-along genre that originated in Japan largely as a nightclub novelty has turned into a highly lucrative retail business as it increasingly moves from bar and restaurant lounges to family living rooms.

Haviland also represents several copyright holders of lesser-known songs who filed similar actions in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

The suits seek royalties that are alleged to have gone uncollected on more than two dozen songs in all.

Unlike many recording stars of his era, Berry owns all the publishing rights to his songs through his Isalee Music Co., his attorneys said.

A New York Times article in May estimated the collective revenues generated by karaoke record labels at $50 million a year.

Copyright © 2005 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior wri

Edited November 11, 2005 by Harold_Z

[Chuck Nessa]

Go, go, go, go Chuck, go!

[bertrand]

Did he ever finish paying up all those lawsuits from the women he filmed taking a crap in the bathroom of the restaurant he owned? This was some 10 years ago.

Bertrand.

Edited November 11, 2005 by bertrand

[Jim Alfredson]

Did he ever finish paying up all those lawsuits from the women he filmed taking a crap in the bathroom of the restaurant he owned?  This was some 10 years ago.

Bertrand.

←

He's probably been looking for ways to get cash to pay the settlements all this time.

"I know! I'll go after those damn kareoke m*****f*****s!"

[Chuck Nessa]

So, if he did "this" he can't sue for "that"? I don't think so.

[chris olivarez]

I hope he sues every Karaoke Machine and every Karaoke machine operator out of existence and put an end to this travesty once and for all!!!

[GregN]

Did he ever finish paying up all those lawsuits from the women he filmed taking a crap in the bathroom of the restaurant he owned?  This was some 10 years ago.

Bertrand.

←

Is that true or just a mythic tale? It makes the whole Go, Go, (to the) Johnny Go thing funnier though. Uh sort of... O.K. maybe not. ahem

[Rooster_Ties]

It's true, not a myth.

[bertrand]

He can certainly sue the karaoke machine makers. As far as I'm concerned, suing them is too mild - they should be shot.

However, he remains a creep in my book.

Bertrand.

[chris olivarez]

Did he ever finish paying up all those lawsuits from the women he filmed taking a crap in the bathroom of the restaurant he owned?  This was some 10 years ago.

Bertrand.

←

Is that true or just a mythic tale? It makes the whole Go, Go, (to the) Johnny Go thing funnier though. Uh sort of... O.K. maybe not. ahem

←

Perhaps on the "B" side the Chuck Berry tune "My Ding A Ling"

[BruceH]

I hope he sues every Karaoke Machine and every Karaoke machine operator out of existence and put an end to this travesty once and for all!!!

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That would be too good to be true.

[catesta]

I hope he sues every Karaoke Machine and every Karaoke machine operator out of existence and put an end to this travesty once and for all!!!

←

We can only hope.

I wonder if anyone has won a case like this in the past.

I mean, Chuck Berry couldn't possibly be the first to sue karaoke people, could he?

[AllenLowe]

he actually stole "My Ding a Ling" from Dave Bartholomew - tried to take writer's credit, when it was Bartholomew's - so the chicken's may roost with his royaties, as far as I'm concerned -

[BruceH]

Imagine having to say in court, "He stole My Ding a Ling."

[chris olivarez]

I hope he sues every Karaoke Machine and every Karaoke machine operator out of existence and put an end to this travesty once and for all!!!

←

That would be too good to be true.

←

Yeah probably but one can only hope.

[chris olivarez]

I hope he sues every Karaoke Machine and every Karaoke machine operator out of existence and put an end to this travesty once and for all!!!

←

We can only hope.

I wonder if anyone has won a case like this in the past.

I mean, Chuck Berry couldn't possibly be the first to sue karaoke people, could he?

←

I doubt that Chuck would have been the first to sue the Karaoke operators but I can't help but think that if he sues them and wins that he might get the biggest monetary award.

[chris olivarez]

he actually stole "My Ding a Ling" from Dave Bartholomew - tried to take writer's credit, when it was Bartholomew's - so the chicken's may roost with his royaties, as far as I'm concerned -

←

I understand that he pulled that shit on Johnnie Johnson as well. It's pretty well documented that Chuck ain't a saint but I still hope that he sues the crap out of the Karaoke and wins.

[Quincy]

It's true, not a myth.

←

The videotaping took place at the Southern Air Restaurant in Wentzville, MO. We used to stop there often as it was the halfway point on our way to my grandparents. Each table had a triangular peg game, a plastic creamer where the milk came out of the light brown & white cow's mouth and an all-in-one salt & pepper dispenser (whose colors matched the cow's) that you could buy if you were so inclined. I don't recall it obviously being associated with Chuck though we all knew it was.

Chances are my mom & sister made it into his library. Outside of my mom saying "god damn him!" (she used g.d. more than most people's mom's ) I don't recall her being particularly traumatized by the news thankfully. Years later she'd even sometimes make jokes about the place when we'd pass by the closed restaurant.

Not a cool thing to do, but I've never held a grudge against him. You gotta watch those hairdressers!