Texas Songwriter Sues Tim McGraw, Others

INPUT { behavior: url(http://www.countryhound.com/FCKeditor/editor/css/behaviors/hiddenfield.htc) ; }INPUT,TEXTAREA,SELECT,.FCK__Anchor,.FCK__PageBreak { behavior: url(http://www.countryhound.com/FCKeditor/editor/css/behaviors/disablehandles.htc) ; }TABLE { behavior: url(http://www.countryhound.com/FCKeditor/editor/css/behaviors/showtableborders.htc) ; }Texas songwriter James Martinez has filed a $20-million lawsuit against Country Music star Tim McGraw, two writers, and two producers.  Martinez claims that McGraw, along with producers James Stroud and Byron Gallimore and songwriters Mike Reid and Craig Wiseman, stole the concept of McGraw’s hit “Everywhere” from his song “Anytime, Anywhere, Amanda.” “Everywhere" was a hit for McGraw in 1997, 11 years ago. Martinez filed the suit in March 2007 with a Corpus Christi, Texas court. The case made news recently because it was reported by TMZ.com to have been moved to a Nashville court. McGraw’s agent Scott Siman told The Tennessean that these cases are often targeted at artists and this is one of the most absurd they’ve come across. Reid and Wiseman have written several big hits for Country Music artists, including McGraw's “Live Like You Were Dying”, “Believe” by Brooks & Dunn, and “Summertime” for Kenny Chesney. Matinez also alleges that Terri Clark’s hit “You’re Easy On The Eyes” was also stolen from one of his songs “Easy On The Eyes, Hard On The Heart.” Professor Geoff Hull, who teaches copyright law at Middle Tennessee University, told The Tennessean these cases are very difficult to prove. “I’ve never heard of a case – and I might be missing some – in which similarity of titles would be enough to prove access to an unpublished work,” said Hull, “especially when the titles are simply just common sayings and clichés.”