Mary Bono, widow of Sonny Bono, returned to the lawsuit for royalties from ‘I Got You Babe’ and ‘The Beat Goes On’ even after losing in February
Due to royalties from hit songs like “I Got You Babe” and “The Beat Goes On,” Cher and Mary Bonowidow of Sonny Bonoresumed legal dispute. In February 2024, the singer won a lawsuit over the rights to the songs.
It is worth remembering how the legal battle arose a few years ago, when the copyright concessions of Sonny Bono became eligible for termination in 2018. Because of this, Mary intervened and tried to invoke the right to become the royalty holder. It is worth remembering how Cher was married to Sonny between 1967 and 1974 and formed a great partnership in music.
Then, Cher sued Mary in 2021 for US$1 million, approximately R$5.7 million at the current price. At the time, the singer expressed surprise at the widow’s attempt to Sonny in claiming half of the royalties from her ex-husband’s compositions.
In May 2024, a judge ruled that her divorce settlement Cher with Sonny in 1978 was strong enough to nullify the attempt to Mary to claim editorial profits. In a hearing held last Monday, the 18th, the lawyer for Mary, Daniel Schachtput the matter under discussion again and argued that the right to Cher to receive half of the songwriting royalties from “I Got You Babe” and “The Beat Goes On” ended on July 1, 2022.
On this date in question, the Iconic Artists Group of Irving Azoff acquired the previous musical catalog of Cher in an agreement. The sale also included a 50% stake in the compositions of Sonnyoutlined in the divorce agreement, according to information from Rolling Stone USA.
At the hearing, Schacht suggested that the singer’s access be blocked to royalties made after June 30, 2022: “She is not entitled to royalties from third parties. She is not entitled to royalties from iconic. This is a question between iconic and Mary Bono. She is not entitled to royalties she does not own.”
In response, the lawyer Cher, Peter Andersonargued that the position of Mary was illogical, given the outcome of last May’s decision. “Cher searched [os royalties]. She is entitled to them. And she is obliged to pay them to iconic. In the opinion of the lawyer [opositor]what happens to them? Mary Bono catch them? This makes absolutely no sense,” he said in federal court in Los Angeles.
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
