Legendary Music Producer Alvertis Isbell Wins Victory in ‘Whoomp! (There It Is)’ Case

A 1997 bankruptcy did not deprive legendary Stax and Motown record producer Alvertis Isbell of his 50 percent share of the composition rights of the Tag Team hit record “Whoomp! (There It Is),” the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled Dec. 18 (In re Isbell Records, Inc., 2014 BL 357104, 5th Cir., 13-40878, 12/18/14).

Affirming a federal district court’s ruling as a matter of law that Isbell’s Alvert Music held the composition rights under a 20-year-old recording contract, the appeals court also affirmed a jury’s $2.1 million actual damages award for copyright infringement.

Contract Gives ...