The lawsuit seeks to prevent Oates from selling shares in a jointly-owned venture.
Daryl Hall has filed a lawsuit against his longtime music partner, John Oates, claiming that the latter’s plan to sell shares in a joint venture would violate the terms of a business contract between Hall & Oates.
According to The Associated Press, Hall’s initial claim quickly prompted a judge to issue an order temporarily blocking the sale until legal proceedings and arbitration have concluded.
The Associated Press notes that the temporary restraining order was issued by a Nashville chancery court on November 16th, writing that Oates and others involved in his trust cannot close the sale of their shares in Whole Oats Enterprises LLP until an arbitrator in a separately-filed case provides further instruction.
However, the chancery court’s order will likely expire within 15 days, unless the judge moves or extends the deadline.
Chancellor Russel Perkins had, for instance, issued his order the same day that Hall filed his lawsuit. However, the lawsuit was largely sealed, and few details have yet emerged.
The Guardian observes that the complaint follows years of tension between both Hall and Oates.
In 2022, for instance, Hall told Philadelphia magazine that Oates was his “business partner,” but not his “creative partner.”
“He’s my business partner. He’s not my business partner,” Hall said.
“John and I are brothers, but we are not creative brothers. We are business partners. We made records called Hall & Oates together, but we’ve always been very separate, and that’s a really important thing for me,” Hall said.
However, The Guardian notes that Hall and Oates have never actually separated, with both men appearing pleased with their history and influence.
“One of the things I don’t think we get full credit for is opening up the minds of commercial radio for that possibility,” Oates said told The Guardian in 2021.
“We had our early success with black radio – the African American community had been as big a part, if not a bigger part of our success as anything. So to us it was normal, that was the music we made, it appealed to a wide variety of people. I think we opened the door to more acceptance of what they defined as crossover music,” Oates added.
Hall and Oates first met in 1967, forming their duo, Hall & Oates, three years later. They have since released 18 studio albums.
Both men have long since begun touring solo, but have never indicated any wish to officially part ways.
Sources
Daryl Hall files lawsuit and restraining order against bandmate John Oates
Daryl Hall Gets Restraining Order Against John Oates in Hall & Oates Legal Battle
Daryl Hall is suing John Oates over plan to sell stake in joint venture. A judge has paused the sale
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