Songwriter and producer P*Nut has reached a settlement with Amy Winehouse's people regarding the song 'He Can Only Hold Her', which appears on her album 'Back To Black'.
P*Nut, real name John Harrison, claimed that he co-conceived the song with Winehouse while working with the singer in early 2006. He'd originally thought he would produce the song too, but in the end production duties were undertaken by 'Back To Black's primary producer Mark Ronson. On that album the song was credited to Amy Winehouse, Richard Poindexter and Robert Poindexter, with Harrison simply getting a thank you in the album sleeve notes.
Harrison asked his lawyers to step in, and it was announced on Friday that they had reached a settlement with Winehouse which will see the producer formally credited as a songwriter on the track, and receiving a cut of royalties from it.
That lawyer, Bob Page of Jayes and Page, told reporters on Friday: "This represents a very satisfactory outcome for P*Nut, who considered his contribution to the song to be perfectly obvious. He was therefore extremely disappointed not to receive the credit he deserved on Amy's album and furthermore at the extent of the resistance he encountered in securing his fair share of the copyright. Whilst Amy and her publishers took the matter to the brink, P*Nut is pleased that common sense has prevailed and he is now looking forward to seeing his contribution properly recognised on future exploitation of this song".