US singer Dionne Warwick has taken legal action against the producers of a new Broadway musical, claiming it uses her name and likeness without consent.Beverly Lee, the only surviving member of 1960s girl group The Shirelles, and the estates of two other members have also complained about Baby, It’s You!The show tells the story of Florence Greenberg, the music executive who discovered The Shirelles.
The musical opened at New York’s Broadhurst Theatre on Wednesday.Legal papers filed in New York accuse Warner Bros Theatre Ventures, Warner Bros Entertainment and Broadway Baby of “cashing in on plaintiffs’ stories and successes”.They are also alleged to have used “plaintiffs’ names, likenesses and biographical information without their consent and in violation of the law”.The complaint was filed by Warwick, R&B singer Chuck Jackson and the estates of three of the four original Shirelles – including Ms Lee, who owns the trademark to the group’s name.The quartet had hits in the 1960s with records like Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, Dedicated to the One I Love and Soldier Boy.Like many other recording artists in the 1960s, their lawyer said, his clients were not treated well even as they achieved widespread popularity.”These national treasures were taken advantage of at the infancy of their careers,” Oren Warshavsky continued.”Now they have to watch it done to them again on stage and once more not get paid.”Warner Bros has not commented on the legal action. – BBC
