This week, the week of February 22-26, 2016, we will be looking at white artists you took black artist's songs as their own!

We call it:  "Black & White"

February 23, 2016

February is Black History Month.  A time to reflect on the contributions to society made by those of African Heritage.

In the field of music there are many people we could focus on but I thought I'd shine the light on a time when a black musician may have only heard their music played on the radio after it was covered (or stolen) by a white artist.

Perhaps no other band has made a bigger career and following out of "borrowed" rifts and lyrics than Led Zeppelin.

(Full disclosure:  I'm not a fan.)

They are been sued (and have settled) many times over the music they had to eventually admit came from elsewhere.  And to be fair they have taken from white and black performers from across the musical spectrum.

This particular time that settlement created a lot good for the music industry.

In 1987 Zeppelin settled out of court with Willie Dixon.  His daughter had heard a song at a friend's house that sounded familiar...because it was a ripoff of one of her dad's tunes:

That money went to Dixon's Blues Heaven Foundation to help other artists save their royalties and music rights.

~ Glenn