Cher Wins Landmark Court Battle Over Sonny & Cher Royalties
Cher has emerged victorious in a significant legal battle over royalty payments from the Sonny & Cher catalog, with a federal judge ruling in her favor against Sonny Bono's widow.
Cher in black performing onstage
Photo Credit: Raph PH / CC by 2.0
US District Judge John Kronstadt's ruling confirms Cher's entitlement to royalties, despite Mary Bono's attempt to exercise termination rights under the Copyright Act. The decision upholds a 1978 divorce settlement that granted Cher a 50% stake in the catalog.
The dispute arose when Mary Bono, following Sonny's 1998 death in a skiing accident, attempted to stop royalty payments in 2021 by invoking the Copyright Act's termination rights. These rights typically allow songwriters or their heirs to reclaim US publishing rights after 35 years.
The judge determined that Cher's contractual right to receive financial compensation supersedes the control over copyrights that termination rights would grant. As of June 30, 2022, the disputed royalties amounted to approximately $418,000.
Sonny & Cher's legacy includes numerous hits written by Sonny Bono, including "I Got You Babe," "Baby Don't Go," and "The Beat Goes On." The duo's impact on music earned them the 18th spot on Rolling Stone's Greatest Duos of All Time list in 2015.
Mary Bono smiling, headshot portrait
Cher performing on stage
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