Johnny Cash’s estate is suing Coca-Cola for allegedly hiring a tribute singer to imitate the country music legend’s voice in a commercial. The ad began airing in August, and the complaint was filed Tuesday (Nov. 25) in Nashville, accusing the soda brand of “pirating Johnny Cash’s voice in a nationwide advertising campaign to enrich itself — without asking for permission or providing any compensation.”
“Stealing the voice of an artist is theft. It is theft of his integrity, identity and humanity,” Tim Warnock of Loeb & Loeb, a lawyer for Cash’s estate, wrote. “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 complaint cites the 1988 ruling in Midler v. Ford Motor Co., in which singer and actress Bette Midler won a dispute against the automaker company after it used a soundalike in an ad without her permission. It also cites the new ELVIS Act, which stands for the Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security Act of 2024. The estate wants to take the commercial off screens as well as unspecified monetary damages. Watch the ad below.
