Eagles drummer/vocalist Don Henley has taken issue over an advertisement that a Wisconsin-based clothing company used in an email.
The phrase in question was used by Duluth Clothing Co. and reads "Don a Henley and Take It Easy," which is a pun referencing the company's Henley shirt and The Eagles' 1972 hit, The Hollywood Reporter notes. Henley claims that the advertisement is a misrepresentation of his name and may cause confusion among customers who might think the musician is involved with the company.
"This kind of thing happens with some degree of frequency and the members of the Eagles always defend their rights, often at great expense," a spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter. "One would think that the people in charge of marketing for these corporations would have learned by now that U.S. law forbids trading on the name of a celebrity without permission from that celebrity."
According to the lawsuit, Henley is suing for trademark infringement and false endorsement, among other complaints. "Both Mr. Henley and the Eagles have worked hard, for over 40 years, to build their names and goodwill in the world community," the spokesperson continued. "They pride themselves on the fact that they have never allowed their names, likenesses or music — individually or as a group — to be used to sell products. Their names are their trademarks and, therefore, they take offense when an individual or a business tries to piggyback and capitalize on their art, their hard work and their goodwill in the public arena."
A spokesperson for the clothing company had no comment on the matter, Rolling Stone reports.
Last month, Late Show host David Letterman joked about not being able to play songs by The Eagles for legal reasons. Check out the video of him thinking about testing the waters here.
Earlier this year, Henley criticized Frank Ocean and Okkervil River for changing his music and re-distributing it on their own, RS reports.
