Widow Wins Fight Over King Of The Road
By WENNWednesday, March 24, 2010
Country legend ROGER MILLER’s widow has won a lengthy legal battle over the singer’s biggest hit, KING OF THE ROAD.
A U.S. judge has ruled Mary Miller and Roger Miller Music, Inc are the true owners of a string of songs Miller published in 1964.
The judge also determined Miller is entitled to $900,000 (£562,500) in unpaid royalties at a hearing last week (ends19Mar10) .
The ruling marks the end of a 16-year legal battle between Miller and bosses at Sony/ATV Publishing.
A court ruled in 2004 that Sony executives own the rights to renew copyright for songs Miller wrote between 1953 and 1963 and an implied right to tracks written in 1964.
Miller appealed and was awarded copyright for the 1964 songs because her husband died from cancer in 1992, aged 56, before he had the chance to renew the copyright on that music - which expired after 28 years.
