Dixie Chicks Named in Copyright Infringement Case

Music Publisher Albert E. Brumley & Sons, Inc. has filed a suit against Sony Music Entertainment, Inc. regarding the Dixie Chicks' use of the song "I'll Fly Away" on their track "Sin Wagon," from their latest album Fly. The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri at Joplin, claims that Sony had not received clearance to use the song and seeks damages of a minimum of $500,000.

Brumley & Sons publish the compositions of gospel music composer Albert E. Brumley, who is a member of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. The song "I'll Fly Away" was registered with the U.S. Copyright Office in 1959 and was composed by Brumley in 1932. The company maintains that Brumley has owned the copyright to the song at all times.

Having been recorded over 500 times, "I'll Fly Away" is one of the most popular gospel songs in history. Among those who have released a version of it are Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Bill Monroe.

• 
  MUSIC 100 Greatest Debut Albums
• 
  MOVIES 'Star Trek' Is Crazy Good
• 
  TV 10 Shows to Watch This Summer
• 
  POLITICS No Price Big Banks Can't Fix

Song Stories

“Time to Pretend”

MGMT | 2008

Listening to MGMT’s breakthrough song, one might interpret it as being about the excesses of rock stardom, but it’s actually about the duo’s pet praying mantis. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden told Rolling Stone they got the idea from the insect's jerky movements. The mantis died, but the two bandmates kept the egg sack and allowed the hundreds of eggs to hatch. “We tried to name them all, but they died after a day,” said Goldwasser, with VanWyngarden chiming in, “But the praying mantis dance inspired us.”

More Song Stories entries »

Twitter