George Clinton Wins Funk Catalog Lawsuit

Funk legend George Clinton has scored a major legal victory, prevailing in a federal court battle over the ownership of the Parliament-Funkadelic music catalog. A judge has dismissed claims made by the estate of the late keyboardist Bernie Worrell, who had argued for co-ownership and royalties on hundreds of classic funk tracks.

Dismissal of Co-Ownership Claims

The lawsuit, filed in 2022 by Judie Worrell, manager of Bernie Worrell’s estate, argued that the late musician, a key member of Parliament-Funkadelic from 1969 to 1981, should be recognized as a joint owner of 264 P-Funk songs. These include timeless hits like ‘Flash Light’ and ‘One Nation Under a Groove.’ The estate sought rights to the royalties generated by these tracks.

Statute of Limitations Cited in Ruling

However, on September 4th, Judge F. Kay Behm in Detroit ruled that the case fell outside the statute of limitations for copyright claims. The judge noted that copyright infringement claims typically must be brought within three years of the claimant knowing their work may have been infringed upon. “Unfortunately for plaintiff, Worrell was not reasonably diligent in protecting his alleged co-authorship or ownership rights for decades,” Behm stated in the ruling.

Decades of Legal Disputes

George Clinton’s attorney, Jim Allen, expressed satisfaction with the ruling, telling Billboard, “The court brought closure to 50 years of false and malicious accusations.” He added, “George Clinton is a musical genius, and it is unfortunate that he has had to endure these erroneous allegations for the past several years.” This decision marks the latest chapter in a long history of legal clashes between Clinton and Worrell, dating back to the 1980s over sound recording royalties. The Worrell estate had pursued multiple lawsuits even after Bernie Worrell’s death in 2016.

Ongoing Catalog Battles

Clinton has also been involved in other legal disputes concerning his music catalog, notably with former agent Armen Boladian of Bridgeport Music, which reportedly controls 90 percent of Clinton’s publishing rights. Clinton sued Boladian earlier this year, alleging fraud and deception in how control of his catalog was obtained, claims that Boladian has denied. The Worrell estate did not respond to requests for comment regarding the latest ruling.