Black Crowes Accuse Gretchen Wilson of Song Stealing

Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but not when royalties are at stake.

The Black Crowes have filed a copyright-infringement suit against country star Gretchen Wilson, accusing the self-dubbed Redneck Woman of ripping off parts of their 1991 hit “Jealous Again” on her new single, “Work Hard, Play Harder.”

It may only be rock ‘n’ roll, but it has the brothers Robinson mad enough to file suit not only against Wilson, but against Wilson’s label, Sony BMG, the publishing company J Money Music and TNT, which is using Wilson’s song in a promotion for the new season of Saving Grace.

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So far, Chris and Rich Robinson as well as Wilson have personally refrained from commenting on the similarities between the songs. But the Black Crowes’ longtime manager is chiming in with his two cents.

“We find the musical verses of Wilson’s song to be such an obvious example of copyright infringement that I expect all parties to reach a relatively quick resolution to avoid legalization.”

On the bright side, should the Crowes’ claims hold in court, at the very least it would show that the band’s peers, if not necessarily their critics, actually do listen to their music all the way through.

source: Black Crowes Caw Out Gretchen Wilson for Alleged Song Stealing [e! online]