Jazz-Sax.Com

Did Ellington and Strayhorn get along? Well, the heirs of their estates are certainly are NOT. Seems that the rights to “Satin Doll” are at stake.

"Third-party plaintiffs, Famous Music Corporation and Mercer Ellington (collectively "the Ellington Estate"), filed a third-party complaint against third-party defendant, Gregory A. Morris, executor of the Billy Strayhorn estate ("the Strayhorn Estate") claiming copyright ownership of and entitlement to royalties from particular versions of the jazz classic, Satin Doll. This Court has ancillary jurisdiction over the third-party claim by virtue of the fact that federal jurisdiction exists over the original action, predicated under the federal copyright laws. Settlement has been reached on many of the other claims in this litigation, including those claims raised by Tempo Music, Inc. ("Tempo"), the plaintiff in the original action, against defendants/ third-party plaintiffs, Famous and Mercer Ellington. n1 What remains in dispute is whether Billy Strayhorn's estate has an interest in the harmony and revised melody of Satin Doll when used or performed without the lyrics. n2"

I wonder what these two guys would say if they were still alive? Would they be fighting in court? Would they even care about it?