Music Tonight: New York-based Pop singer/songwriter Gavin DeGraw is joined by American Idol winner David Cook at the Taft Theatre for a 7:30 p.m. concert. Swedish Pop/Rock band Carolina Liar opens. DeGraw's love songs have found big success on the charts (his latest album, Sweeter, debuted at No. 8 when it came out in December; he also has four singles that have been certified Gold), radio and TV licensing; his introduction to most of the world came via his theme song for One Tree Hill, "I Don't Wanna Be," which has been "covered" on American Idol and Idols in other countries. Speaking of Idol, Cook won the grand prize on that show's seventh season. The Missouri native released his second major-label effort, This Loud Morning, this summer and it reached No. 7 on the U.S. charts. The jury is still out on whether Cook becomes the next Kelly Clarkson or the next Taylor Hicks, but the longevity rate of AI winners seems to be decreasing with every season. If it doesn't work out, maybe Cook can get an audition for X Factor. Tickets run $39.70-$53.06. Check out DeGraw and Cook's latest singles below. —-
Momentous Happenings in Music History for November 7
On this day in 1988, a jury returned a verdict in one of the more bizarre copyright battles in Rock & Roll history. John Fogerty was sued by Fantasy Records, which released album's by Fogerty's Classic Rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival. The label accused Fogerty of plagiarism. Who did they claim he stole from? Himself. The suit claimed that Fogerty's solo hit, "The Old Man Down the Road," violated the copyright for the song "Run Through the Jungle," which Fantasy owned, but Fogerty wrote.
The jury sided with Fogerty, but the Rock legend wasn't done with the court battles. He filed his own suit to try and recoup attorney's fees, which had grown to well over a million dollars after the extensive battle came to an end. He ultimately was granted attorneys fees and restitution from the U.S. Supreme Court (oddly enough, it was Fogerty's suit that had a greater impact on the legal world, though Fantasy's is probably the best remembered).
In a nutshell, the jury decided that the two songs in question were not the same, but simply of the same style (swampy Delta Blues), which was surely a relief to every Blues artist on the planet who has ever written a song.
Here's the two tunes so you can make up your own mind — did Fogerty steal his own song?
Born This Day: Musical movers and shakers sharing a Nov. 7 birthday include: Jazz legend (and CCM alumni) Al Hirt (1922); Rock & Roll/Pop star ("Secret Agent Man") Johnny Rivers (1942); Roberta Joan Anderson, later more widely known as Joni Mitchell (1943); former Cincinnati Symphony/Pops conductor Keith Lockhart (1959); and singer/leader of British group The Divine Comedy, Neil Hannon (1970).
