Judge OKs Nugent Defamation Suit

A lawsuit filed by Ted Nugent against the Muskegon, Mich., Summer Celebration will be allowed to go forward, a circuit judge has ruled.

The Nuge sued when he was dumped from the festival’s lineup in 2003 after he allegedly used racial slurs in referring to blacks and Asians on a Denver radio station.

Nugent claims the cancellation damaged his reputation and career.

Judge Timothy Hicks dismissed defamation-of-character claims and released individual festival officials from the suit in December but, in late January, he ruled Nuge’s breach-of-contract claim may go to trial.