And Finally… The world is big enough for two musical Jellyrolls

How many musical Jellyrolls can the world accommodate at any one time? Well, in the context of the US trademark system, apparently at least two. Though I'm hoping it's three, given there’s also a British jazz band we need to factor in.

But let’s start in the US. Earlier this year the Jellyroll Band - the “best wedding band in Philadelphia”, no less, according to their website - sued country singer Jelly Roll for trademark infringement. The band argued that they’d been using the name Jellyroll since 1980 and registered it as a trademark in the US in 2010.

Therefore country singer Jelly Roll, who started releasing music in 2011, was infringing on the band’s trademark and causing “confusion in the marketplace”. When it comes to musical Jellyrolls, the Jellyroll Band were adamant, the world can accommodate just one.

It wasn’t the first time there’d been a bust up over a band name involving one artist who has enjoyed regional success in the US and another that has a national profile. When the band Lady Antebellum changed their name to Lady A in 2020 they ended up in a legal battle with singer Anita White, who had been performing as Lady A for 20 years.

Though in that case Lady A the singer didn’t own any trademark in the name, with her lawyers hoping to persuade a judge that she should have exclusive use of the Lady A brand simply because she had been using it for so long. However, a settlement was eventually agreed, meaning that argument was never formally made in court.

The Jellyroll v Jelly Roll case has been settled much more quickly. With the lawsuit filed in April, this week the Jellyroll Band’s owner Kurt L Titchenell put out a statement confirming that the dispute was over.

“The dispute with Jason Bradley DeFord, aka Jelly Roll, has been resolved, and the legal action has been withdrawn”, he said. “We look forward to our continued use of the name, Jellyroll Band, in connection with our party band business”.

Good stuff. But what about England’s Jelly Roll Jazz Band? Well, they’ve managed to stay out of the Jelly Roll band brand battle so far, and fingers crossed it will stay that way. Otherwise, I guess they might have to embrace British English and become the Swiss Roll Jazz Band.

With all Jelly Roll squabbling resolved, for now at least, here are some other amusing music news stories from the last week.