Detroit –Singer-songwriter Anita Baker will not go to jail today and is negotiating to allow a judge to research how much her ex-husband is owed in music royalties.
“I think we’ve gotten to the heart of it,” Wayne County Chief Family Court Judge Lita M. Popke said, vowing to complete the necessary documents in court today.
Popke ordered Baker to attend a contempt of court hearing this morning after she failed Thursday to explain why she hadn’t followed orders to sign letters authorizing a court-appointed expert on music industry contracts to seek information from record companies about payments for the music she has written and performed.
Baker got her chance to speak under oath to the judge today, expressing her anxiety about being under the threat of jail.
“I just want to go home,” said Baker, of Grosse Pointe.
“I want you to go home too,” Popke told the eight-time Grammy Award winner.
Baker’s 2008 divorce from Walter Bridgforth Jr. called for an even split of royalties from two albums made during the couple’s 20-year marriage, “Giving You the Best I Got” in 1988 and “Rhythm of Love” in 1994.
Popke on Thursday said Baker has been uncooperative in an effort to establish how much Bridgeforth is owed. Detroit entertainment attorney Howard Hertz, who represents Eminem, among other clients, was appointed by the judge as a music contract expert in an effort to settle the dispute.
When speaking to the judge, Baker pointed out objections to language that might be interpreted as a final decision about money owed to Bridgforth.
Although Baker signed similar letters of direction after her divorce, the new letters contain demands for “mechanical” royalties, or the inclusion of songs created during the marriage on more recent “best of” albums.
Baker objected to the judge that this is an area that wasn’t negotiated in the divorce.
“I think I understand Ms. Baker’s objection,” Popke said before ordering Hertz to meet today with Baker to hammer out new language in the letters to music companies.
“Before you go into that meeting, I want you to understand it’s not under the threat of jail or contempt. I am not going to hold you in contempt,” the judge told Baker. “I don’t want you to feel coerced.”
Baker has complained that “experts” have dominated court proceedings since her divorce began in 2007. She has said she wanted to speak directly to the judge.
Much of the court file on Baker’s divorce, including documents that detailed the financial settlement between the couple, was ordered sealed in 2007 by Judge Bill Callahan.
Newer documents pertaining to the fight over royalties indicate Baker in 2009 was receiving $200,000 a year from one of the several record companies with which she has held contracts.
Bridgforth has objected to accounting that claims, after expenses, that his half of the royalties from Atlantic and Rhino records amounted to $12,000 in 2009.
Baker’s profits also were greatly reduced by production costs. The court file doesn’t indicate what Baker has been paid by other sources, including music publishers BMI and ASCAP, and digital sales, satellite and Internet play.
Part of the package of agreed to documents includes a protective order that will keep secret all information discovered by Hertz from everyone but the court and the lawyers involved in the case.
Bridgforth didn’t attend the hearings on Thursday or today.
Article written by Doug Guthrie and Susan Whitall / The Detroit News
Exclusive: Diana Lewis Interviews Anita Baker About Divorce Dispute
Anita Baker’s 2008 divorce from Walter Bridgforth Jr. called for an even split of royalties from two albums made during the couple’s 20-year marriage, including this one: “Giving You the Best I Got”. Here is the video from the title cut:
From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100226/ENT05/2260428/1409/metro/Anita-Baker-avoids-jail-in-divorce-court-fight#ixzz0gxoLYr32
From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100226/ENT05/2260428/1409/metro/Anita-Baker-avoids-jail-in-divorce-court-fight#ixzz0gxoEChan
at 3:42 pm
Angelo I cant find your friendsofangelobhenderson site to join! However, I do want to comment onyour topic this morning about road rage! I suffer with much anxiety while driving stupid drivers are my thorn in my side! Note that I said stupid drivers and not ignorant drivers, stupid drivers are those that do things that we all know puts all of us in danger(i.e. texting,applying make up, reading etc.) I myself am guilty of being a stupid driver! I have come to realize that we tend to want others to judge us by our intentions while we judge them by their actions! Since, coming into that knowledge I am more careful and aware of my fellowman. People were calling in talking about their CCW’s and different types or actions they’ve taken in situations of road rage. I am an advocate for a CCW but I am also an Advocate for life, and I wouldn’t want to takeanother life even if it was justified! in February I was home alone and a young man broke in on me thank God I scared him as much as he scared me and he ran out but, either of us could have lost our lives over nothing! People both the perpetrator and the victim need to understand that no Thing has value until we give it value, when you understand that’s car are merely forms of transportation, and homes merely shelter, and clothes merely protection from the elements life would be valued above material possessions! Every time I think about the young man coming in on me I thank God I didn’t lose my life and his be lost inreturn or I didn’t take his life and my life forever changed in the process! being able to live with taking someones life right or wrong for me would be disasterous cause I love life in everyone! I always tell my friends don’t give me flowers give me plants something that will live on. I have nine grandchildren 6 boys and three girls I’m trying to leave a legacy that will live on for generations to come, can you imagine the impact these nine children will have on our future? I’m just trying to make sure it’s a positive impact and the only way I know to do that is to lead by example!