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Photographer Sues B.B. King Estate
An East Coast photographer is suing B.B. King’s estate and Universal Music Group for copyright infringement, claiming his pictures of the performer have been used on King’s albums for more than 40 years without his permission.
Photo: Rogelio V. Solis/AP
A wall mural of B.B. King overlooks a downtown parking area in Indianola, Miss.
New Yorker Glen Craig says in the suit filed July 7 in New York federal court that his photos of King have been used on albums without his permission since 1971. He cites more than 40 examples of what he says is unauthorized use of his photography of King, including several photos published with albums over the past year.
Craig is asking for damages and a jury trial. An attorney for the estate’s executor says he and his client haven’t seen the lawsuit yet. Universal Music Group hasn’t responded to a request for comment. King died last year at 89.