NEW YORK — Cher and the heirs of Sonny Bono are suing Warner/Chappell Music for more than $250,000 in unpaid royalties.
The complaint, filed March 3 in the Los Angeles Superior Court, cites a number of agreements covering the rights of Sonny & Cher, beginning with their 1965 York Records and Atlantic Recording agreements.
Cher, Bono’s four children and his widow, Mary Bono-Baxely, claim Warner/Chappell failed to provide accurate royalty accountings and to pay all performance and publishing royalties due. The exact amount has not been determined.
The suit seeks a full accounting and payment of royalties due for the last four years, which is the period of time a party has to file a lawsuit in California after there has been a breach of a written contract.
Warner/Chappell declined to comment. The attorney for Cher and Bono’s heirs, Henry Jannol in Los Angeles, could not be reached for comment.
