MUSIC icon Gloria Gaynor has sued her former producer, Joel Diamond, for exploiting copyrights of multiple songs. Gaynor , renowned for the timeless 1970s hit I Will Survive , is currently seeking $2 million in damages from Diamond. The 80-year-old disco star has alleged that Diamond exploited her copyrights for years without adequate compensation.
According to Gaynor's lawsuit filed in Manhattan Federal Court, Diamond has falsely claimed ownership of eight of her songs based on a 1983 record deal. In court papers, Gaynor claimed Diamond registered himself as a co-author “of at least one song." “At no time did Gaynor write a song with Diamond.
To her knowledge, Diamond has never been a songwriter," the papers stated, according to the New York Post . Read More on Celeb Lawsuits “Since the inception of the alleged recording agreement, despite Gaynor’s repeated requests for an accounting thereof, defendants have failed to pay any royalties, provide transparency as to who Gaynor’s music was licensed to or any demonstration that Gaynor’s music was protected,” Gaynor stated in the litigation. SETTING IT STRAIGHT Gaynor is seeking money allegedly owed from Diamond alongside her co-plaintiff, Robin Randall, who has separate issues with the producer.
The two are also looking for the court to terminate their contracts with Diamond. “Gloria Gaynor and Robin Randall are prominent examples of the exploitation and abuse suffered by legacy music artists at the hands of indus.