In a recent Facebook post, The Guess Who announced the cancellation of another concert due to a $20 million legal dispute.
The band said the following in their message, along with a group photo:
“Due to an unforeseen issue with music licensing, unfortunately, tonight’s show, The Guess Who at the Sunrise Theatre in Fort Pierce, FL, has been canceled. No action is required by ticket buyers. All tickets will be refunded at point of purchase. If you have any questions, please call the Box Office at 772.461.4775.”
Burton Cummings And Randy Bachman Filed A Lawsuit Against The Guess Who
In October, ex-members Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman sued the Guess Who and original members Jim Kale and Garry Peterson in Los Angeles federal court over the band’s name for touring and recording. Bachman and Cummings stated in a press release that the current lineup, which only includes Peterson from the classic band, used the band’s name, their photos, and their music without permission. Randy said:
“Burton [Cummings] and I are the ones who wrote the songs and made the records. It’s Burton’s voice and my guitar playing on those albums. Anyone presenting and promoting themselves as the Guess Who are clones who are ripping off our fans and tainting the legacy of the band. It’s about time for the real story to come out.”
Burton also added:
“With this lawsuit, Randy [Bachman] and I hope to set the record straight and protect fans from imposters trying to rewrite history. Even after we’re gone, the legacy of the Guess Who will live on, and we want to make sure that legacy is restored and preserved truthfully.”
More recently, Cummings decided to make another move. While the case is ongoing, Cummings terminated the performing rights agreements for all the songs he wrote, like ‘American Woman’ and ‘These Eyes,’ by removing copyright protections. The band can still keep performing, but they can’t play Cummings’ songs. If they do, they’ll face legal action for every occurrence.