Music company files complaint against Rodriguez

DETROIT (AP) — Sixto Rodriguez, the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary “Searching for Sugar Man,” has been pulled into a lawsuit over songs on an album he released in 1970.

The dispute centers on the ownership of the songs on “Cold Fact” and contracts between Rodriguez and two music companies.

Gomba Music Inc. is suing Interior Music Corp. in Detroit federal court, claiming it owns the copyright to the songs penned by Rodriguez, not Interior. The lawsuit says the musician concealed his writing role to sidestep a publishing agreement he had with Gomba.

Interior in response blames Rodriguez for the legal problems and named him Wednesday as a third-party defendant in the case.

A message was left Thursday with Rodriguez’s lawyer.

The Hollywood Reporter first reported the lawsuit.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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