By Stephanie (66.54.1.38) on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 09:57 pm: |
I found this at an oldies website
Stephanie
Billy Paul was awarded $500,000 from his former record company's owners Thursday (April 24). A statute of limitations prevented him from collecting royalties earlier than 1994. Paul asserted in court that he had not received a royalty accounting from Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff's Philadelphia International label in about 27 years. Then, a year and a half ago, he heard his voice singing "Me & Mrs. Jones" on a Nike commercial without his permission and he contacted an attorney. The verdict may lead to lawsuits by other Philadelphia International artists, including the O'Jays, the Three Degrees, Lou Rawls, Teddy Pendergrass and Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes.
Stephanie
Hey Bobby Eli can you collect any funds?
Just kidding!!!
By Lexuses71 (68.136.16.58) on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 11:05 pm: |
Stephanie-
Not just there....it was also announced on CNN tonight.
I was privileged to speak to Blanche Williams last Sunday long distance. Irt was a very intense conversation. She and Billy are very pleased and are thankful the jury saw the truth. I won't divulge the conversation (out of respect, of course), but I sensed that defendant's credibility in what they presented in this case was simply not bought by the jury panel. This may be a precedent setting case it is now being reported for other artists in the same situation.....I am elated for them. This case was about what is fair and proper.
By Eli (141.151.78.96) on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 11:48 pm: |
This is basically an artist thing and deservedly so. So many of our great artists especially the regional ones were not paid there propper royalties due to shady accounting practices.
But as they say "What goes around comes around"
NO OFFENSE INTENDED
By Lexuses71 (68.136.16.58) on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 01:34 am: |
Eli-
None taken at all! I completely agree. I prefer to call it the "boomerang effect".
The doors may have just swung wide open....
By Randy Russi (169.139.180.100) on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 07:53 am: |
And, yet, Ronnie Spector & the Ronettes, as well
as Darlene Love, haven't collected anything from
Phil Spector. I don't get it!
By Scratcher (65.132.76.236) on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 09:39 am: |
Ronnie Spector and the Ronnettes won a settlement a few years ago. It was later reduced but they were awarded something, I forget how much. Whether they collected or not is a different story. The Chi-lites and some others won a large settlement too, but it's unknown if any of those artists have collected the awards yet.
It's a shame that recording companies do what they do to artists. Billy Paul never received a royalty statement for 27 years let alone a CHECK! Most recordings artists don't and feel helpless to do anything about it.
By Randy Russi (169.139.180.100) on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 09:48 am: |
Ronnie & Ronettes winning was appealed, and he
won. Now they are only to get 3% of record sales,
nothing from television, movies, etc. So for
every $100 Spector makes on their recordings as
far as CD sales, they are to get $3. Wow!!!
Oh, yes, their attorney gets half of that!!!!!
By Scratcher (65.132.76.236) on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 09:54 am: |
Right Randy, you're correct I remember reading that now, but they did get something as opposed to years of absolutely nothing except an intial $15,000 or so. Maybe they should have retained the lawyer Billy Paul did. But, we don't know if the Paul case will be appealed and overturned.
By stephanie (66.54.1.38) on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 03:06 pm: |
This is so horrible!!! I know Berry Gordy was a little shady with some things but Spector has to be the worst!!!! He stopped Ronnie from being able to sing some Ronettes songs on TV and on stage at one time......at least Mary Wilson and Diana and all of the other Supremes can sing their songs..
Stephanie
By TonyRussi (68.18.33.86) on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 03:20 pm: |
I heard Phil say in an interview "I gave them hits,its 40 years later & they can still work, I don't owe them anything".
By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 03:36 pm: |
I hate to be the one to throw cold water over this one but getting the favourable court judgement is only the beginning - Billy still has to be able to collect the money.
That could take even longer.
Brings to mind that classic O'Jays song "For The Love Of Money". Remind me again who wrote that.
Davie
By Randy Russi (169.139.180.100) on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 04:00 pm: |
Yes, there's a very good chance Gamble & Huff will
appeal. I know for years they had the same
attorney as Phil!!!
By Lexuses71 (68.136.16.164) on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 05:18 pm: |
But it would NOT be in Gamble's best interests to appeal this judgement, not that he won't.
Reason is, it was awarded in a Federal court, and any appeals would most likely be thrown out. The Federal dockets are very crowded and they have much bigger fish to fry, which may be in the Paul's favor.
Also, there is a larger spectre of higher damages awarded to the Pauls should Gamble seek such an appeal, have it heard and lose again. Other financial factors would be opened up for scrutiny that were not allowed in this trial. The stakes are much higher for Gamble than the Pauls.
This case took a long time to work it's way up the dockets as it was. Meantime, Gamble still has to put up the bond of guarantee, which is X 3 times the judgement amount. If the appeal fails, he's gotta pay. Federal courts tend to lean much harder on monies owed when a judgement is won by a plaintiff. Anfd it's NOT like Gamble doesn't have the money.