Charlie Aponte is not entitled to charge for songs recorded on El Gran Combo

The singer’s claim Charlie Aponte To collect royalties from hundreds of songs he recorded while he was a member of Great Puerto Rican Combo He was not accepted by a federal judge, and instead confessed to the music director Raphael Ether As the only person who has the right to collect because he is the owner of the institution that protects the orchestra.

Federal Judge Jay García Gregory, in response to the interpretative ruling made by Mr. Roberto Soiro on behalf of Combo, acknowledged that El Gran Combo is a company that employs its own singers, musicians and other members and, as such, has the right to collect royalties as the lead performer, and Ether is the property owner for this entity.

Soiro, in his law filing in support of the interpretative ruling, questioned the court who collected royalties paid by SoundExchange, the entity responsible for paying the privileges to perform artists’ music on digital platforms and the internet in general.

“The court ultimately decided, after the parties had submitted their legal theses, that the one who deserved these royalties, being the main attraction and according to the law, is Ithier”The lawyer repeated this Sunday over the phone. “All El Gran Combo are employees and there are provisions since 1983, by the First District of Boston, specifying that Ithier is an employer under the law, as he has been the owner of all that is El Gran Combo since 1963,” Los Vinados del Sabor defender said.

Primera Hora has applied for a reaction to this decision, via text message, to Jose Hernandez Mayoral, representing Charlie Aponte, but no response has been received so far.

Soiro explained that the singer, with an active voice on salsa classics such as “Se me fue,” “Teléfono,” and Timbalero,” and “There’s No Bed for Many People,” “to collect royalties.

He noted, “This point in the law has not been raised anywhere in the United States, and there is no precedent. This is the first precedent that defines what Featured Artist Across the United States and so came the judge’s decision welcoming the district judge. It’s a new case“.

Once SoudExchange learned of the conflict between Combo and Aponte in 2019, it suspended payment of royalties for digitally played or downloaded music. These royalties are estimated at half a million dollars, according to the information provided.

Aponte has neither collected royalties for combo music nor owes any debts to the company.