The 2006 case of copyright infringement lawsuit by Michael McCloud against country singer Toby Keith was put to an end.
- Nov 30, 2007
AceShowbiz - Country singer Toby Keith has been cleared off copyright infringement case. Singer/songwriter Michael McCloud's lawsuit against him was dismissed, according to reports.
In 2006, McCloud aka Michael Snyder claimed that Keith's 2003 song 'I Love This Bar' was too similar to his own 'Tourist Town Bar' song. Keith was determined to prove his innocence by defending himself that his piece was written with Scotty Emerick.
After the case was dismissed, Keith spoke lengthy of the case: "It is an awful thing to be accused wrongfully of copyright infringement. It goes to the core of what you are as a man, a singer/songwriter and an artist. You know it is being done to you by some greedy lowlife opportunist who just wants to get rich off you."
"In fact, Michael Snyder a/k/a Michael McCloud publicly bragged this lawsuit would make him a rich man, that I would buy him a comfortable life, retirement, house, car, 'big' boat, Harvard education for his children and other things."
"While he was talking, I was put in the terrible position of not being able to defend myself until the trial and I just could not wait for that day to come. I knew it would take no time at all for the case to be dismissed and it was, of course, with prejudice which means: He had no case whatsoever."
"I don't have a problem taking heat for my politics or my music. You can like my songs or not but they mean everything to me. I have always said that I may not always be a performer but I will always be a songwriter."
"So when this lawsuit was filed, it pissed me off. And no matter what it took, I was going to fight it. It was just too wrong. This guy can't sue me again for copyright infringement according to the judgment and I feel that maybe I landed a blow not only for myself, my reputation but for other artists as well. I hope so. As I said, the case was dismissed with prejudice. I didn't pay him or his lawyers a thing."
- Toby Keith's 'I Love This Bar':
- Michael McCloud's 'Tourist Town Bar':
