NEW ORLEANS – A New York firm that licenses copyrighted music for public is suing Dish on Hayne for alleged copyright violations of five classic soul and rhythm and blues songs.
Broadcast Music Inc., Interior Music Corp., Amazment Music, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., Hip City Music Inc. and Hifrost Publishing filed a lawsuit Nov. 10 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against Smoodie Inc., doing business as Dish on Hayne; Charles A. Bell Jr.; and Charles A. Bell III; alleging copyright infringement.
According to the complaint, Dish on Hayne has violated copyright of the following songs from the BMI repertoire: “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers; “Before I Let Go” by Frankie Beverly; “Break Up To Make Up” by Linda Creed, Thomas Bell and Kenny Gamble; “Don’t Stop” by Tom Curtis Shapiro and Charles Victor Raines; and “Poison” by Elliot T. Straite. The suit says the songs were performed in public at the Dish on Hayne without proper license.
The plaintiffs seeks injunctive relief preventing further infringement, statutory damages and litigation costs. They are represented by attorneys Mark A. Balkin and Joseph C. Chautin III of Hardy Carey, Cautin & Balkin LLP in Mandeville.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District Case number 2:15-cv-05787