Claudette Tells Smokey - ‘You Can’t Cut Me Out Of Your Motown Royaltie$!

[marv2]

http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2014/05/smokey-robinson-ex-wife-royalty-lawsuit/

Smokey Robinson is still paying for his divorce nearly thirty years later— and if his ex Claudette has her way, the $275 million Motown legend will continue to do so.

In March, the singer, songwriter and former American Idol mentor, 74, filed a lawsuit against his former wife, from whom he officially split in 1985 after 27 years of marriage, claiming as per the 1976 Copyright Act, she no longer owns the music copyright and royalty rights she was awarded in their 1986 divorce settlement. [[The act dictates that copyrights expire 28 years after they were originally created.)

“As the sole author of the musical compositions at issue, [Smokey] has the exclusive right…to terminate his assignments of copyrights after a certain number of years,” court documents claim. “[He] has properly issued termination notices for all currently-eligible copyrights.”

Read the Documents

But Claudette is firing back, claiming she is still entitled to 50% of the cut from all her ex husband’s music created between 1958 and 1985.

Smokey “assigned [Claudette] a one-half interest in the Community Musical Compositions, and no termination right is available under the Copyright Act with respect to that assignment,” documents allege.

Claudette, 71, is demanding a trial by jury.

Smokey married his second wife, fashion designer Frances Glandney, in 2004.

[soulster]

She only wants a trial by jury because she knows she is probably legally in the wrong, and hopes that a jury will see it her way, despite that. Question is, will she get one.

[marv2]

She only wants a trial by jury because she knows she is probably legally in the wrong, and hopes that a jury will see it her way, despite that. Question is, will she get one.

She'll get a jury and she will get some money. Claudette would be a dream client for any attorney. No jury will be able to vote against her..........

[Roberta75]

She'll get a jury and she will get some money. Claudette would be a dream client for any attorney. No jury will be able to vote against her..........

You are a real great feminist marv2 and i applaud you for it. In the past 2 hour you are champoning the causes of Claudette Robinson and mary Wells and I thank you for that. I urge you to join your local chapters of the National Organization for Women Foundation. We need real feminists like yourself. Thank you for all you do.

http://now.org/

Respectfully and sincerly.

Roberta

[marv2]

You are a real great feminist marv2 and i applaud you for it. In the past 2 hour you are champoning the causes of Claudette Robinson and mary Wells and I thank you for that. I urge you to join your local chapters of the National Organization for Women Foundation. We need real feminists like yourself. Thank you for all you do.

http://now.org/

Respectfully and sincerly.

Roberta

I thought you said in a posting earlier today that you were going to ignore me or were you just lying again?

[Roberta75]

I thought you said in a posting earlier today that you were going to ignore me or were you just lying again?

But you just answered my posting in the 50 years ago Motown had its first number one thread first and your strong feminist belieffs make you real admirable.

Peace and respect.

Roberta

[jobeterob]

I wonder how many people view Marv as a pariah?

[marv2]

I wonder how many people view Marv as a pariah?

I know how many people here view you as a Q$%^$W%$&&%! LOL!!!!

[stephanie]

Oh Marv!!!! I agree Claudette is going to win this. I love both her and Smokey I hope that Miss Claudette gets what is coming to her she was around for the bad and the good.

[marv2]

Oh Marv!!!! I agree Claudette is going to win this. I love both her and Smokey I hope that Miss Claudette gets what is coming to her she was around for the bad and the good.

Once Miss Claudette starts with " and when I was a teenage debutante, I met this guy named Smokey and within a few years I married him......." she will have it in the bag or rather her bank account!

[Motown Queen]

Smokey is an ass for this.

[antceleb12]

Between this and the already-unpaid legal dues, Smokey's sure got his hands full...

[marv2]

Between this and the already-unpaid legal dues, Smokey's sure got his hands full...

He truly is in a tough situation. Not just about parting with some money ,but his reputation could be damaged by all of this.

[antceleb12]

He truly is in a tough situation. Not just about parting with some money ,but his reputation could be damaged by all of this.

His reputation, at least amongst Motown fans, has been damaged long ago, unfortunately. His mouth has gotten him into a lot of trouble, and this bit of incivility toward a woman he was married to for nearly three decades is doing nothing to improve his reputation...It's such a shame...

[jobeterob]

What he has done to his face over the last 10 years doesn't help much either.

I don't know why he would do this unless he and Claudette have a deep dislike and distrust of each other or unless there is a real shortage of money.

His reputation still seems to be reasonable; CNN is doing some special on the Sixties and he is one of the people featured.

[Roberta75]

His reputation, at least amongst Motown fans, has been damaged long ago, unfortunately. His mouth has gotten him into a lot of trouble, and this bit of incivility toward a woman he was married to for nearly three decades is doing nothing to improve his reputation...It's such a shame...

I really dopubt that people piling into a casino showroom in Mississipi or San Diego wanting to hear Shop Around and Tears of a Clown are giving any thought to the legal battle between Smokey and Claudete Robinson. It may not be right but its reality folks imo.

Roberta

[antceleb12]

I really dopubt that people piling into a casino showroom in Mississipi or San Diego wanting to hear Shop Around and Tears of a Clown are giving any thought to the legal battle between Smokey and Claudete Robinson. It may not be right but its reality folks imo.

Roberta

Roberta, I'm not talking about people who happen to casually know some of the famous hits. I'm talking about fans like those on this forum. Believe me, this is not the first time Smokey has caused a stir among fans.

[Roberta75]

Roberta, I'm not talking about people who happen to casually know some of the famous hits. I'm talking about fans like those on this forum. Believe me, this is not the first time Smokey has caused a stir among fans.

Thank you for clarifing antceleb12. The regular public dont pay as much attention to the Motown stars or care as much like we do in this here forum. The regular folk just want to sit back and hear the hits being sang to them imo.

Fondly,

Roberta

[marv2]

Roberta, I'm not talking about people who happen to casually know some of the famous hits. I'm talking about fans like those on this forum. Believe me, this is not the first time Smokey has caused a stir among fans.


When he went bullistic over "Dreamgirls" the film and trying to tell people Florence Ballard was never the leader, Berry Gordy never did any of the things Jamie Fox's character in the movie did, yada,yada, yada and a few "Oooh Baby, Babys!" LOL!!!

[marv2]

Thank you for clarifing antceleb12. The regular public dont pay as much attention to the Motown stars or care as much like we do in this here forum. The regular folk just want to sit back and hear the hits being sang to them imo.

Fondly,

Roberta

FYI, there are regular folks on many of these internet forums. There are many you do not know about!

[BayouMotownMan]

I think Claudette in entitled to a cut but I think half is overly generous. Maybe 1/3. All of this is probably legal ramblings to get his cut to her reduced

[arr&bee]

Pay up smoke.

[midnightman]

This is turning into such a mess...

[jobeterob]

When he went bullistic over "Dreamgirls" the film and trying to tell people Florence Ballard was never the leader, Berry Gordy never did any of the things Jamie Fox's character in the movie did, yada,yada, yada and a few "Oooh Baby, Babys!" LOL!!!

Now, THAT he was right about.

But Smokey and Aretha issue far too many statements and press releases over not very much.