Estate of Brown v. Arc Music Group

ORDER

Joe Brown, a bluesman, founded three Chicago record labels that recorded and *409copyrighted music during the 1940s and 1950s, including the songs “Dark Road Blues” and “This New Generation.” He died in 1976. In 2008 his son, Michael Brown, began investigating the recordings and became convinced that the estate (the successor in interest to the three companies) was owed royalties. On behalf of the estate, Michael Brown sued several music companies for copyright infringement, breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, and other claims related to his father’s music. The court dismissed the…