Johnny Cash Estate Sues Coca-Cola Over voice Use in Commercial
Nashville, TN - The estate of Johnny Cash has filed a lawsuit against The Coca-Cola Company, alleging the unauthorized use of the late singer’s voice in a recent advertising campaign. The suit, filed Tuesday in Nashville, centers around a commercial titled “Fan Work is Thirsty Work” that began airing in August and features a singer impersonating Cash.
The estate argues Coca-Cola exploited Cash’s distinctive voice “to enrich itself – without asking for permission or providing any compensation.” The legal action is being pursued under the Elvis Act of Tennessee, a law enacted last year specifically designed to protect the voices of performers from unauthorized exploitation.
According to the complaint, the commercial utilizes the vocal talents of Shawn Barker, a professional Johnny Cash impersonator. The estate’s lawyer, Tim Warnock of Loeb & Loeb, stated, “Stealing the voice of an artist is theft. It is theft of his integrity, identity, and humanity.” He added, “The trust brings this lawsuit to protect the voice of Johnny Cash – and to send a message that protects the voice of all of the artists whose music enriches our lives.”
The lawsuit draws parallels to the 1988 case midler v. Ford Motor Co., where singer Bette Midler successfully sued Ford after the company used a sound-alike in a commercial without her consent.
The Cash estate is seeking unspecified monetary damages and a complete removal of the advertisement from all platforms. As of today, Coca-Cola has not publicly responded to the lawsuit.
Shawn barker’s manager, Joey Waterman, told Billboard magazine that barker’s team was “thrilled when we were approached to have Shawn sing vocals for this commercial.” Waterman also noted Barker has performed his tribute show, “The Man in Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash,” for over two decades, touring globally.
