Among the music films coming out this year, few have gotten our attention as much as I'll Be Me, a documentary on country music icon Glen Campbell as he partakes in his farewell tour. Unfortunately that production has been marred by a lawsuit from a miffed production studio.
The Recording Studio—the plaintiff—alleges that the film violates an agreement that the studio had made with Campbell with regards to working with producer James Keach on creating a documentary such as I'll Be Me, however Campbell's camp and Keach circumvented The Recording Studio and used others to bring the project to fruition.
The Record Company had "exclusive right" to develop "project involving producer/director James Keach, featuring and/or based on (Campbell)" read legal documents acquired by Billboard. "If there is any later development of the project or other media venture involving James Keach in any way, then our rights to participate in the project or other such venture are revived."
Needless to say, Keach—who also produced the Johnny Cash biopic Walk The Line—did produce I'll Be Me and The Record Company was not invited to the party. Instead, the film used Keach's own PCH Films in a partnership with Glen Campbell Enterprises. Thus Record Company is suing Campbell and company for breach of contract.
Regardless of the legal outcome, we hope to catch the film when it's released to theaters on October 24. The tour features guest appearances from Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift while tracking Campbell along his final tour, brought about by an unfortunate Alzheimer's diagnoses.
