Louie Louie Meets Music Copyright Lawyer

January 3, 2015

The Kingsmen: The Kingsmen were famous in the early 60’s for their famous music recording of the song “Louie Louie.” The master record of Louie Louie by the Kingsmen sold 20 million copies between 1963 and 1995. Unfortunately, during all those years, the Kingsmen never got paid, not even a dime, that is until copyright attorney Cheryl Hodgson, copyright attorney, Los Angeles decided to help. Music entertainment lawyer Cheryl Hodgson is an expert music copyright lawyer. For years the band had had asked the question, “How do music royalties work?” They had been trying to find a music copyright lawyer that would take their case and recover their music royalties.

Because so many years had passed, and passed royalties can only be recovered for the period of the statute of limitations (4 years in California), Cheryl Hodgson came up with the idea to seek rescission, (a legal term for termination of contract) of the Kingsmen’s old music recording contract. Her idea was to recover the income producing asset (the master record), so the Kingsmen would receive all the future money. Cheryl won, the first case in history in which an artist was successful in terminating a record contract.

Record deal contracts are often complicated and unfair to the artist. In the case of the Kingsmen, things were worse because their after they signed a music recording contract (a music producer contract), with a little label called Dennan music in Seattle, the master had been bought and sold several times, including having been in bankruptcy. Upon recovery of their music recording, they are now in control of all music license agreements.

As the owner of their music master for Louie Louie, the Kingsmen have the right to issue a music license for use of their masters. They receive a music royalty regularly from the music licenses they issue.

Contact Cheryl Hodgson, music lawyer Los Angeles 310.623.3515