Community Corner

Rick Nelson's Heirs Reach Settlement with Capitol Records

The lawsuit alleged the singer's heirs were owed royalties from his music.

An attorney for the estate of Rick Nelson confirmed a settlement was reached of a lawsuit between his clients and Capitol Records that alleged the singer's heirs were owed royalties from his music.

Lawyer Neville Johnson, on behalf of The Rick Nelson Company Inc., issued a statement saying he was "pleased to announce that all issues with Capitol Records have been amicably resolved and the heirs of Mr. Nelson are excited to work with it promoting the legendary recordings of this remarkable talent."

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Joseph Kalin dismissed the case Friday.

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The heirs, in a suit filed in October 2011, maintained that the record company was not paying all royalties owed, including those for digital downloads. Johnson said that the case could be precedent-setting in the area of digital downloads and streaming.

Nelson, best known for his songs "Travelin' Man" and "Poor Little Fool," scored a string of 53 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1957 and 1973 and co-starred with his parents and brother in the hit television series "Ozzie and Harriet."

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Nelson recorded for years under a 1957 agreement with Imperial Records, which later became Capitol Records. He died in a plane crash in 1985 in Texas at age 45.

--City News Service


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