There’s been a long running dispute over who actually wrote The Everly Brothers' classic "Cathy's Clown,” and it’s finally been settled. Federal judge Aleta Trauger ruled on Wednesday that the song was written by Don Everly alone.
The ruling also stated that Don should receive solo credit for writing the all-time classic. Don and brother Phil acknowledged over the years that the song was actually inspired by Don’s high school girlfriend. The legal matter has been settled after over 40 years of litigation. Don had stated since 1980 that Phil (who passed away in 2014) didn’t contribute to the writing of the song.
The song became the duo’s biggest hit when it spent five weeks on top of the ‘Billboard’ singles chart. (Bloomberg Law)
[Source: Classic Hits Today]