Charlie Aponte is not entitled to collect royalties for songs recorded with El Gran Combo

Singer’s statement Charlie Aponte To collect royalties from the hundreds of songs he recorded while he was a member Puerto Rico’s Great Combo A federal judge disapproved, instead approving the music director Raphael Idiyar The right to collect is only for being the owner of the corporation which preserves the orchestra.

Federal Judge Jay Garcia Gregory, on behalf of Gombo, said Mr. In response to the declaratory judgment issued by Roberto Sueiro, El Gran Combo recognized that it is a company that employs its singers, musicians and other members. Collect royalties as the main actor, and it is the property owner of the company.

Sueiro, in his legal brief in support of the declaratory judgment, questioned the court as to who should collect the royalties paid by SoundExchange, which is responsible for paying royalties for artists’ concerts on digital platforms. And the Internet in general.

“The court ultimately ruled that, after the parties had conducted their legal research, the person entitled to those royalties, being the principal attraction, was, as a matter of law, ithire.”, the attorney reiterated this Sunday by phone. “El Gran Gombo is all employees and there have been rulings by the First Circuit in Boston since 1983 that have determined that Ithier is an employer under the law because he has been the owner of El Gran Gombo since 1963,” Los Finados del Sabor’s defense attorney said.

Representing Charlie Aponte, Mr. Primera Hora requested Mayor José Hernández to react to the resolution via text message, but no response has been received so far.

A vocal vocalist active in salsa classics such as “Se me fue”, “Teléfono”, Timbalero” and “So many people don’t have a bed”, Suiero explained, “He has no right to be part of the company. ” to collect royalty.

He pointed out, “This point of law has not been brought anywhere in the United States, and there is no precedent. This is the first paradigm that establishes what Feature artist A magistrate’s decision that welcomes the US-wide and district judge says. This is a novel case”.

When SoudExchange learned of the conflict between Combo and Aponte in 2019, it withheld royalties for digitally played or downloaded music. According to the information provided, such royalties are estimated at half a million dollars.

Aponte did not collect royalties for the combo’s music, nor did he owe the corporation.