Friday, May 05, 2006

Verity vs. Tonex



Get your controllers ready.

Circulating across the Internet are reports of Verity Records (a subsidiary of Zomba/BMG Recording Corporation) attempting to sue Mr. Anthony C. Williams, II (formerly or currently known as Tonex') for an unprecedented amount of $1 million dollars. Most of the charges against the "retired" gospel artist surround the reports of slander he used in various media outlets including his MySpace.com webpage about "mistreatment" and
"desires to break ties with the record company".

An unknown and fabricated article (possibly written by supporters of Mr. Williams) is being posted on GospelCity.com, EnSound Entertainment, GospelSpotlight.com and other gospel media outlets and does not give further details on the lawsuit or general information that we normally expect from articles from renowned sources such as the Associated Press.

The article tends to be one-sided and does not feature any quotes from the plaintiffs in this case and also features information on how to donate monies to Tonex' during this crisis.

Tonex' has cited before, and mentions again in the suspicious article, that he is broke and barely surviving financially. But he is hopeful that he will overcome in court. He has retained San Francisco entertainment lawyer, Courtney M. Coates, Esq., of Hanson, Bridgett, Marcus, Vlahos & Rudy to prosecute his California case. New York attorney, Londelle McMillan, Esq. of The McMillan Law Firm will probably defend Tonex' in the New York lawsuit, according to the article.

After careful review, I know that this kind of lawsuit is extremely serious. In previous blogs entries, we have reported Tonex's remarks on the industry, his claims of retiring (before his contract expired which is a breach of contract to a great degree), and slandering the company he was once an employee of. Regardless of his feelings towards Verity Records and Zomba, they are the largest music company in the country and has a roster that includes Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin, Dorinda Clark-Cole, Hezekiah Walker, Kurt Carr, Marvin Sapp, Donald Lawrence, John P. Kee, Fred Hammond and many others. We are certain that much of the important details on both sides have not leaked into the public arena, so we are sure the courts will reach a very reasonable conclusion of justice.

Verity Records has a website and can be reached at:
www.verityrecords.com


[THE SUSPICIOUS ARTICLE]
[MORE TONEX-TERTAINMENT]

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