Camden NJ June 2, 2009 -Few artists can lay claim to the controversy that has surrounded the career of songwriter James Damiano. Twenty-two years ago James Damiano began an odyssey that led him into a legal maelstrom with Bob Dylan that, to this day, fascinates the greatest of intellectual minds.

As the curtain rises on the stage of deceit we learn that CBS used songs and
lyrics for international recording artist, Bob Dylan. Bob Dylan's name is credited to the songs. One of those songs is nominated for a Grammy as best rock song of the year. Ironically the title of that song is Dignity.

Since auditioning for the legendary CBS Record producer John Hammond, Sr., who influenced the careers of music industry icons Billy Holiday, Bob Dylan, Pete Seger, Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Ray Vaughan, James has engaged in a multimillion dollar copyright infringement law suit with Bob Dylan.

It is judicially uncontested by Bob Dylan and or Bob Dylan's law firms Manatt, Phelps & Phillips , Parcher Hayes & Snyder, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, Heck Brown and Sherry and Sony House Counsel that Bob Dylan and people in Bob Dylan's entourage have solicited James Damiano's songs and music for over ten years and eleven months, as per the law suit.

District Judge Jerome B. Simandle states in his decision "This court will accept as true Plaintiff's allegations that Sony represented to him that he would be credited and compensated for his work if Dylan used it. Judge Simandle also stated in his decision "Plaintiff has demonstrated a genuine issue of material fact as to whether defendants had access to his work.

http://www.jamesdamiano.com/

Richard Frankel

uslawjournal@gmail.com

Camden NJ June 2, 2009 -Few artists can lay claim to the controversy that has surrounded the career of songwriter James Damiano. Twenty-two years ago James Damiano began an odyssey that led him into a legal maelstrom with Bob Dylan that, to this day, fascinates the greatest of intellectual minds.

As the curtain rises on the stage of deceit we learn that CBS used songs and
lyrics for international recording artist, Bob Dylan. Bob Dylan's name is credited to the songs. One of those songs is nominated for a Grammy as best rock song of the year. Ironically the title of that song is Dignity.

Since auditioning for the legendary CBS Record producer John Hammond, Sr., who influenced the careers of music industry icons Billy Holiday, Bob Dylan, Pete Seger, Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Ray Vaughan, James has engaged in a multimillion dollar copyright infringement law suit with Bob Dylan.

It is judicially uncontested by Bob Dylan and or Bob Dylan's law firms Manatt, Phelps & Phillips , Parcher Hayes & Snyder, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, Heck Brown and Sherry and Sony House Counsel that Bob Dylan and people in Bob Dylan's entourage have solicited James Damiano's songs and music for over ten years and eleven months, as per the law suit.

District Judge Jerome B. Simandle states in his decision "This court will accept as true Plaintiff's allegations that Sony represented to him that he would be credited and compensated for his work if Dylan used it. Judge Simandle also stated in his decision "Plaintiff has demonstrated a genuine issue of material fact as to whether defendants had access to his work.

http://www.jamesdamiano.com/

Richard Frankel

uslawjournal@gmail.com

"...Mr. Damiano feels he has not been given fair recognition for contributions he’s made to Dylan’s music published by Sony. Mr. Damiano believes the lack of credit he’s been given, entitles him to publicly comment about his case..."

It seems, from what I read on your site, that there was an agreement with Sony or CBS to allow James Damiano's contributions to be used, with the understanding that they would credit him by name, but that his did not happen. (I did not read anything that would lead me to believe that Dylan himself was at fault.)

This is unfair and unfortunate. I also think it happens more often than we know.

Now that it has been made public, I hope that Mr. Damiano can find closure.