I just got done reading a story in ChristianityToday that just irritates the fire out of me and makes me sick.
Armond Morales, one of the original members of the Imperials is battling over the rights to use the “Imperials” name with none other than his son, Jason Morales. His son started singing in a new group and wanted to use his dad’s group’s name. They convinced the elder Morales to give up all of his rights to the name. It’s my understanding that there weren’t any lawyers involved in the agreement and I get the impression that the young group was trying to pull one over on the elder Morales. I might give Jason Morales a tiny bit of credit because he said he’s staying out of the business argument. I’d give him a ton more credit if he’d convince the rest of the members of his group to just forget the name and make it on their own.
Smith said it boils down to the 2005 agreement: “Our whole standing to be the Imperials is rooted in the assignment of trademark that Mr. Morales signed.”
How about this, what if you’re whole standing as a Christian singing group was rooted on you being good enough to attract fans and an audience on your own ability and not the name printed on your albums and posters.
And look at what the young group is trying to force over on the elder Morales:
Armond told CT that MOSH does not want him to claim to have won Grammy and Dove Awards that the Imperials won as a group between 1969 and 1984. The younger group now makes that claim, even though none of them were members of the group at the time. The younger group also now bills itself as a “Gospel Music Hall of Fame Inductee,” even though none of the current members were with the Imperials at that induction a decade ago.
Yeah, you’ve got no claim on the awards won by the original group. For the same reason that the current members of the Chicago Bulls have no real claim on the previous championships that were won by Michael Jordan’s Bull’s, even though they’re legitimate Chicago Bulls.
Here’s the deal. This doesn’t help anyone! You, your dad, Christian music or anyone. Drop the law suit and think of a new name. Let your dad and the rest of the members of the Imperials own their legacy and accomplishments.
Imperials Embroiled in Lawsuit Over Name | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction
