Aretha Franklin Songwriter Suing for Royalties

July 19, 2011 1:07 PM

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Norman West, a songwriter that has worked with[lastfm link_type="artist_info"] Aretha Franklin[/lastfm] for over twenty years, is suing Aretha’s publishing company, Springtime Publications, Inc., after they did not sign a royalty agreement on one of their songs.

The song in question is “Put It Back Together Again”, featured on Aretha’s new album, Aretha: A Woman Falling Out of Love, says Vintage Vinyl News.

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West and Aretha also have another song on the album, called “New Day”, which has a pre-existing agreement and is not related to the lawsuit at all.

West says he tried to get the agreement signed privately but wasn’t successful. Only then did he turn to the legal process.

He has asked the court to order Springtime to sign the agreement and a second part of the suit claims copyright infringement over “Watch My Back”, an even earlier song.

About Aretha Franklin, West’s attorney, Jeffrey Thennisch, said that his client “owes much of his career to Aretha Franklin and that he views her as both a mentor and a guiding force in his career.”

Do you think it’s fair to treat Aretha this way?

http://wods.radio.com/2011/08/03/aretha-franklin-speaks-out-on-songwriters-lawsuit/ Aretha Franklin Speaks Out On Songwriter’s Lawsuit

[...] songwriter for Aretha Franklin is suing the Queen of Soul for royalties and, according to a report, Franklin is “extremely disappointed” over the news. Aretha [...]