Eric Clapton sued by musician’s estate over iconic song

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The estate of a Mississippi blues musician has filed a lawsuit against Eric Clapton, accusing the Hall of Fame guitarist of giving a songwriting credit to the wrong artist.

The Tennessean reports a lawsuit filed in Nashville federal court says Eric Clapton attributed the song “Alberta” to Huddie Ledbetter – better known as Lead Belly – in the 2013 re-release of Clapton’s “Unplugged” album, when the credit should have gone to Bo Carter.

Miles Floyd, Carter’s step-grandson, says Clapton’s song was actually a cover of Carter’s “Corrine, Corrina,” which was first licensed in 1929 and over time became interchangeable with “Alberta.”

The lawsuit seeks $5 million and includes Clapton and Warner Music Group Corp as defendants. The defendants haven’t responded to the lawsuit.

Carter died in Memphis in 1964.

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