Shawn Mullins has agreed to settle a copyright infringement suit filed against him by Nashville music publisher Simranch Music on behalf of songwriter Mike Lawler. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in October of 2000, claims that Lawler was denied rightful songwriting royalties for his contribution to "Everywhere I Go" and "Up All Night," the first two tracks on Mullins' latest album, Beneath the Velvet Sun, released last year by Columbia Records.

"Although the settlement papers have not yet been signed, it does appear that we have reached a settlement agreement," says attorney David Moser, who represents Simranch.

The settlement amount is confidential, but, according to Moser, "it is not by any means a huge amount. It basically reimburses my client for some of the money it has had to spend on this matter. What they really wanted was a clear agreement as to the authorship and ownership of the two songs."

The basic terms of the settlement are that Mullins and another co-writer Matthew Kahler agree that Mike Lawler is an equal co-writer of the two songs and that Simranch and Mike Lawler own a combined one-third interest in those songs.

Mullins says he is settling the suit to avoid potential six-figure court costs, and maintains that, even though he gave Lawler a songwriting credit for the two songs, Lawler didn't contribute lyrics or melodies but merely guitar parts -- which are not typically credited.

"Matthew Kahler and I had already worked on 'Everywhere I Go' and had got it pretty much almost there," Mullins says. "Lawler kind of came in on that and wanted a third, but we never worked out that he would get a third. He says that when three people sit down in a room, that's the way it works . . . so what this guy wants is a third of the publishing on these two songs because he came up with the guitar riff."

Mullins -- who has written songs since the age of twelve and released eight albums independently, including his breakthrough Souls Core before it was picked up by Columbia in 1998 -- says the experience will deter him from collaborating outside his circle in the future. "I got myself into trouble by letting this guy have credit on the record, and then he came back and said, 'This is how much I want.' And that's a mistake I'll never make again."

KAREN BLISS
(May 2, 2001)