When big music stars die, renewed interest in their careers can
instantly be worth tons of money. And beyond a short-term enterprise,
the business of departed artists can – if managed well – be lucrative
for years, feeding off the artists’ legacies, work and marketable
images. But who gets the money? And who gets to decide what to sell?
Those are complex questions, usually involving months of legal
proceedings and business negotiations. In some cases, as with Johnny
Cash’s estate, for which the singer and his wife, June Carter, spelled
out everything beforehand, the process can be relatively painless. In
others, such as Ray Charles’ estate, which is still being hashed out in
court, family fights seem endless. And as reported this week, Amy Winehouse’s parents will inherit her wealth by default, as the singer did not leave a will – how the estate will operate moving forward is to be determined. But
after the legal issues end, most estates come to a sort of day-to-day
equilibrium, handling as many as dozens of requests per week to use
music or images, then rejecting the most absurd ones (Jimi Hendrix
toilet paper!).
