Estate of late American country music icon Johnny Cash sues Coca-Cola over use of impersonator in ad
‘Stealing the voice of an artist is theft. It is theft of his integrity, identity and humanity,’ says estate lawyer
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ISTANBUL
The estate of the late American country music legend Johnny Cash has sued Coca-Cola for using an impersonator in a commercial which plays between college football games, with its lawyer calling the act “theft of his integrity, identity and humanity.”
“Stealing the voice of an artist is theft. It is theft of his integrity, identity and humanity,” wrote Tim Warnock, a lawyer for Cash’s estate, in a complaint filed on Nov. 25. “The trust brings this lawsuit to protect the voice of Johnny Cash -- and to send a message that protects the voice of all of the artists whose music enriches our lives.”
The estate is seeking to pull the ad featuring professional Cash impersonator Shawn Barker and pursue damages under the Elvis Act and Tennessee consumer protection laws.
The federal complaint marks the first major case under the state of Tennessee’s 2024 ELVIS Act, which extended publicity rights to protect a person’s voice from unauthorized use.
“This case arises from Coca-Cola’s pirating Johnny Cash’s voice in a nationwide advertising campaign to enrich itself – without asking for permission or providing any compensation to the humble man and artist who created the goodwill from which Coca-Cola now profits,” the complaint said.
Coca-Cola must now respond to the lawsuit, after which the court will decide if the Cash estate’s claims under the ELVIS Act and other laws can proceed.
Cash was an American singer-songwriter known for his deep voice and blend of country, rock, folk and gospel. His estate is now managed by the John R. Cash Revocable Trust.
