If you’re going to use someone’s song in your commercial, you might want to ask them first. Drummer of ‘The Band’ Levon Helm is suing Cingular, claiming that they did not get his written permission to use their signature song “The Weight” in a commercial. From BusinessWeek:

“It was just a complete, damn sellout of The Band — its reputation, its music; just as much disrespect as you could pour on Richard and Rick’s tombstones,” said Helm, 66, a longtime Woodstock resident.

Richard Manuel, vocalist and piano player for The Band, died in 1986. Rick Danko, who played bass, died in 1999.

The Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

Helm was paid for the song’s use, but did not approve it. —MEGHANN MARCO

The Band drummer Helm sues over TV ad [BusinessWeek]

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