Celebrity Justice
McGraw to Lawsuit Pest: Tussle on My Turf!

Tim McGraw is facing a wackadoodle $20 mil lawsuit from a Texas man who says he jacked his song for his huge country hit "Everywhere" -- but McGraw's bringing the legal fight closer to home to stomp it once and for all.

According to court filings, James Martinez alleges McGraw stole his hit "Everywhere" from Martinez's tune "Anytime, Anywhere Amanda." And here's where it gets a lil' wacky: James claims that because McGraw's songwriters used song titles that were similar to his, they're stealing.

Martinez actually filed the lawsuit over a year ago in Texas -- and it's flown totally under the radar -- but after a long slog, the action just got moved last week to Nashville, where the country star lives. McGraw's lawyers tell TMZ Martinez's claims are "totally without merit."


Reader Comments

(Page 2 of 2) Previous 15 Comments

16. Tim has many number 1 songs he doesn't steal songs don't you you all think if there really is wrong doing the writer that approached tim's management with the song in the fist place with the song should be looked at more more seriously. duh!!
Tim comes from better background than that.. I pesonally hold him in high reguard and would never believe he would do any thing like that.

Posted at 1:54AM on Aug 9th 2008 by chriss

17. First Tim does write and has from the beginning. It has only been in the last few years though that he has felt comfortable enough to put his work on his albums. He has anazing respect for writers. Many times I've heard him in interviews or when accepting awards giving credit to the songwriters and stating without the song and the songwriters the artist would be nothing.

It was because of his respect for songwriters that he for many years did not put his work on his albums, to quote him, the songwriters tell a story in 3-4 minutes and he couldn't see his work better than the songs he was being offered.

Tim did NOT write the song Everywhere, not the words or music. The songwriter that did is Craig Wiseman an amazing songwriter that hasd written many songs for Tim including his award winning song Live Like You Were Dying. This Craig has won Grammy's, CMA, ACM's for his songwriting. He has won Song of the Year not only for Tim but Kenny Chesney, Brooks and Dunn. He doesn't need to steal from any songwriter he is without a doubt ONE OF THE BEST in the business.

Everywhere was a #1 single in 1997, it was the TITLE of the album. So it took this guy 11 years. This was not some hidden song that didn't get airplay. It was HUGE, got #1 and the TITLE track of the album. An album that won the CMA Album of th4e Year in 1998. When they announced the winner they said EVERYWHERE. Not only that its the only country album to win favorite by the fans from Radio and Records TWO years in a row.

So why 10 years later this was a HUGE album and award winning album that had 5 #1 singles, two songs from the album won Billboard Country Song of the Year in 1997 and 1998. Have you heard It's Your Love, that came from the EVERYWHERE albums.

So fo r this person to wait 10 years is a joke and sorry the person is a liar.

Posted at 8:39PM on Aug 11th 2008 by Janet

18. If someone stole something from you wouldn't you try to redeem???????????????????? It aint nothing personal against Tim

Posted at 7:55PM on Sep 22nd 2008 by Rockport Girl

19. Tim McGraw is one of the best country artists ever. Who cares where he gets his songs. I doubt very much he has the time or even WANTS to go out, just looking to steal someones song, and then call it his own. He has managers, and song writers that give him songs, how should he know where they originally came from. Someone named Amy mentioned stealing a song from her brother, thats bull. Why doesn't your brother just go sing it himself?! Tim McGraw makes the song what it is! The only reason people bring law suites up is to start stuff, and get there name in a magazine. He has done so much good for people, its sick people would bring this up. I'd be honeored if he would sing a song I wrote!

Posted at 2:07PM on Dec 19th 2008 by mse111

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