Millions of country music and pop music fans in Kansas and Missouri, as well as many other states throughout the nation, are familiar with married singing duo Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. It’s also hard to find someone who hasn’t heard of Ed Sheeran; yet, not many may be aware that the three are currently named as co-defendants in a copyright law infringement case. The central issue in the lawsuit has to do with a song Sheeran wrote for McGraw and Hill to record together.

The song is called “The Rest of Our Life,” and it was released by McGraw and Hill in 2017. It just so happens a song-writing team from Australia says Sheeran ripped off the song from a tune they wrote in 2014. In fact, say Sean Carey and Beau Golden, Sheeran’s song goes far beyond mere sound similarities with their song “When I Found You.” The two say they can track verbatim, note-for-note elements between Sheeran’s song and their own.

Another man, who is not party to the lawsuit, is suspected by Carey and Golden as someone who may have given Sheeran access to their song. This man is the boyfriend of the Australian singer who recorded their hit and, ironically, he works for Sony Music Entertainment. The latter is also named as a co-defendant in the lawsuit filed by Carey and Golden, in addition to several other songwriters and music publishers.

Copyright law is complex, and it’s often difficult to prove infringement. Anyone in Kansas and Missouri considering filing a copyright complaint may be glad to know experienced attorneys are available to aggressively litigate such issues as needed. As for the McGraw, Hill, Sheeran versus Carey and Golden situation, a U.S. District Court judge will soon decide the outcome.

Source: hypebot.com, “Ed Sheeran, Tim McGraw & Faith Hill Face Copyright Battle“, Accessed on Jan. 15, 2018