Landmark Bob Marley case goes to court

MANILA, Philippines – Two music companies are set to undergo a legal battle over Jamaican reggae singer-songwriter Bob Marley’s songs.

Chris Blackwell’s Blue Mountain Music is set to defend their alleged misattribution, and diversion of income, amongst other things, in an attempt to retrieve “No Woman, No Cry” and other songs against plaintiff Cayman Music. This, according to a release sent by Judy Totton Publicity to media entities.

The trial will include a number of songs including one of the late Marley’s iconic songs, “No Woman, No Cry.”

Cayman is the original, long-standing publisher of Bob Marley, one of the most successful artists of all time.

They represented his catalogue from 1967 to late in 1976.

The defendants are the publishing arm of Island Records and sometime publisher of various Bob Marley titles, from the mid 1970s to later in his career.

Both publishers retain some of Bob Marley’s work to the present day.

Meanwhile plaintiff Cayman Music, was the publisher at the time the song was written but it was attributed to Vincent Ford, in an alleged “misattribution.”

The move denied Cayman Music of its rights and income, under the then current music publishing agreement with Bob Marley.

This ”misattribution” action was confirmed by Chris Blackwell in his Trial evidence in the Aston “Family Man” Barret Trial in London, some years ago.

It is now common ground between the disputing parties that the songs (including “No Woman, No Cry”),  were actually written by Bob Marley but that the music publisher’s share was never credited to Cayman Music, who have now been denied their contracted entitlement for more than 40 years.

Additionally,  the named writers such as Vincent Ford were supposed to receive the performance income, derived from the “misattributed” songs, but, seemingly, have never done so, with an attendant loss of hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of pounds.

The landmark trial is set to commence on May 12. 

Watch Marley perform “No Woman, No Cry” in the video below:

– Rappler.com