Royalties For Rosalind and Annette

[Kay]

I know Martha was paid her back royalties from Motown in the 80's but I had wondered about Rosalind and Annette - and here's what I found;


DETROIT (AP) — Two founding members of the Motown group Martha and the Vandellas have lost their effort to void a contract that gives half their royalties to a New York company that sued record companies on their behalf.

“There is no evidence of fraud or deceit,” U.S. District Judge Robert H. Cleland wrote Wednesday in an opinion dismissing the lawsuit. He said the contract was not unclear or unconscionably generous to the company.

Among the group’s hits were “Heat Wave” and “Dancing in the Street.”

Former Vandellas Rosalind Ashford Holmes and Annette Beard Sterling, both of Detroit, sued in March 2003 to throw out their contract with Artists Rights Enforcement Corp., which twice sued on their behalf to get royalties.

In 1984, the pair signed with the company, saying that “for the preceding 20 years, they had received no royalties from Motown (Records) and that in response to their inquiries, they had been given the stall and the run-around,” Artists Rights President Charles Rubin told The Detroit News.

In 1989, Motown agreed to make a lump-sum payment for past royalty payments. In 1994, after a second lawsuit in California, the singers began receiving higher payments from Motown.

Their lawyer, Gregory Reed, said the company has collected $400,000 in royalties for his clients and kept $200,000. Lead singer Martha Reeves didn’t sign the agreement with Artists Rights.

An appeal is possible, Reed told the Detroit Free Press.


Does anybody know if they appealed?? I think they should have. It's when I see things like this that make me despise Berry even more

[Diamond Girl]

It's sad that the greatness of Motown is overshadowed by all of this shadiness and a lot of times cruelty.

Berry accomplished what many didn't, Black or white. But he didn't do it alone.
He should have treated those that made him (helped make him, etc), fairly.
Regardless of if they stayed or not.

Motown wouldn't be Motown without the voices, development,
writers/producers/arrangers, musicians and a&r director.

I don't know if they appealed, we will do some checking.

Rosalind and Annette deserve their royalties and shouldn't have had to sue for them.
Should have been included in their contracts and if it was it should have been honored.

[Motown Honey]

I don't understand how people can do these types of things, Motown and this Artists' Rights Company.

How can they justify not paying royalties and receiving 50% for what, a petition. Even managers only generally get 15-25% and they actually work on behalf of the artists.

It's a shame that many, probably most Motown artists and their estates have to fight for what they're due.

It's getting harder and harder for the music to mask this :idunno:

[Kay]

The article was just from last year, and it does make me wonder how much money he must have stolen from everybody else. When it comes to Motown it looks to me as if the good can easily be outweighed by the bad

[fantagurl]

kay said:

I know Martha was paid her back royalties from Motown in the 80's but I had wondered about Rosalind and Annette - and here's what I found;


DETROIT (AP) — Two founding members of the Motown group Martha and the Vandellas have lost their effort to void a contract that gives half their royalties to a New York company that sued record companies on their behalf.

“There is no evidence of fraud or deceit,” U.S. District Judge Robert H. Cleland wrote Wednesday in an opinion dismissing the lawsuit. He said the contract was not unclear or unconscionably generous to the company.

Among the group’s hits were “Heat Wave” and “Dancing in the Street.”

Former Vandellas Rosalind Ashford Holmes and Annette Beard Sterling, both of Detroit, sued in March 2003 to throw out their contract with Artists Rights Enforcement Corp., which twice sued on their behalf to get royalties.

In 1984, the pair signed with the company, saying that “for the preceding 20 years, they had received no royalties from Motown (Records) and that in response to their inquiries, they had been given the stall and the run-around,” Artists Rights President Charles Rubin told The Detroit News.

In 1989, Motown agreed to make a lump-sum payment for past royalty payments. In 1994, after a second lawsuit in California, the singers began receiving higher payments from Motown.

Their lawyer, Gregory Reed, said the company has collected $400,000 in royalties for his clients and kept $200,000. Lead singer Martha Reeves didn’t sign the agreement with Artists Rights.

An appeal is possible, Reed told the Detroit Free Press.


Does anybody know if they appealed?? I think they should have. It's when I see things like this that make me despise Berry even more

That`s not fair!! Both Rosalind and Annette`s voices made the classic songs hits. You know Berry and Motown will definitely get theirs in the long run. I hope they do appeal.

[rainymourning]

kay said:

I know Martha was paid her back royalties from Motown in the 80's but I had wondered about Rosalind and Annette - and here's what I found;


DETROIT (AP) — Two founding members of the Motown group Martha and the Vandellas have lost their effort to void a contract that gives half their royalties to a New York company that sued record companies on their behalf.

“There is no evidence of fraud or deceit,” U.S. District Judge Robert H. Cleland wrote Wednesday in an opinion dismissing the lawsuit. He said the contract was not unclear or unconscionably generous to the company.

Among the group’s hits were “Heat Wave” and “Dancing in the Street.”

Former Vandellas Rosalind Ashford Holmes and Annette Beard Sterling, both of Detroit, sued in March 2003 to throw out their contract with Artists Rights Enforcement Corp., which twice sued on their behalf to get royalties.

In 1984, the pair signed with the company, saying that “for the preceding 20 years, they had received no royalties from Motown (Records) and that in response to their inquiries, they had been given the stall and the run-around,” Artists Rights President Charles Rubin told The Detroit News.

In 1989, Motown agreed to make a lump-sum payment for past royalty payments. In 1994, after a second lawsuit in California, the singers began receiving higher payments from Motown.

Their lawyer, Gregory Reed, said the company has collected $400,000 in royalties for his clients and kept $200,000. Lead singer Martha Reeves didn’t sign the agreement with Artists Rights.

An appeal is possible, Reed told the Detroit Free Press.


Does anybody know if they appealed?? I think they should have. It's when I see things like this that make me despise Berry even more

So after waiting all of those years to recieve proper payment from Motown, their legal representitives also took money out of their pockets I hope they appealed and won. That is beyond disrespectful!