By Erica Gerald Mason, Parade || A legal battle is underway as the estate of country icon Johnny Cash has filed a lawsuit against the Coca-Cola Company, alleging the beverage manufacturer illegally appropriated the singer’s distinctive voice for a major advertising campaign. According to WKRN, who first reported the news, Cash trust asserts the multinational corporation used an unauthorized reproduction of the “Man in Black’s” famous bass-baritone to illicitly “enrich itself.”
The legal action revolves around the recently established ELVIS Act (Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security), a piece of legislation designed to protect performers from the unauthorized commercial use of their voices, particularly in the face of burgeoning artificial intelligence technologies.
According to the lawsuit, Cash “has one of the most legendary and distinctive voices in the history of music.” The trust emphasizes that since the singer’s passing in 2003, permission to use his voice has been granted only twice — both for high-profile Super Bowl advertisements — demonstrating the extreme control the organization keeps over his vocal brand.
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Article includes the video ad; go here to read the full story.
https://parade.com/news/johnny-cash-estate-files-shock-lawsuit-against-coca-cola-over-alleged-pirated-voice