Country music star Tim McGraw has been in an ongoing legal battle with his former label, Curb Records, for two years. The Nashville, Tennessee-based label filed its first lawsuit against the country star in a Tennessee State Court in May 2011 for breach of contract.
The label claimed McGraw recorded songs for his album "Emotional Traffic", which was supposed to be his final album with Curb, too early. According to the lawsuit, by McGraw recording songs prior to its delivery it was a "transparent tactic to attempt to fulfill his contractual recording commitment to Curb prematurely in breach of the recording agreement."
A couple days after this lawsuit, McGraw filed a countersuit against the label seeking advanced payment and recording-fund reimbursement, as well as a jury trial.
In November 2011, just six months after the suit was filed, a judge granted McGraw permission to record songs with a new label. In May 2012 the country artist signed with Big Machine, the leading competitor to Curb Records.
McGraw's latest project "Two Lanes of Freedom", his first album with the new label, is the cause of Curb coming after the singer for a singer time and this time in federal court.
"Not only has Curb Records been deprived of the exclusive rights to exploit ('Two Lanes of Freedom'), but it is also damaged because of (the album's) release," the suit reads.
Late Monday, Curb filed a second lawsuit against the singer and Big Machine Records alleging copyright infringement and breach of contract. Curb claims that the 15-song album was recorded while McGraw was under contract with Curb. They are seeking for a return of master recordings, compensatory and punitive damages and an injunction against future recordings or releases until its contract with McGraw has been fulfilled.
