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Burton Cummings withdrew performance-license agreements in 2024 for songs he controlled, in an effort to stop venues from allowing the touring act then using The Guess Who name to perform those songs. That move concerned song-performance permissions—not ownership of the band name. The separate name dispute was settled in September 2024, and Cummings and Randy Bachman regained control of the name, according to the band’s official biography and settlement coverage.
What license did Burton Cummings withdraw?
The license at issue covered public performances of songs in Cummings’s licensing catalog. By withdrawing performance-license agreements for songs he controlled, he sought to prevent venues from authorizing performances of those songs by the touring act. Billboard Canada reported the move as an attempt to stop that act from performing the material; the band’s official biography says venues were no longer licensed to allow the songs in their buildings.
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This was not a transfer of The Guess Who name. Song-performance permissions and rights to use a band name are separate matters. The withdrawal affected venues’ ability to authorize public performances of songs covered by the relevant licenses; it did not, by itself, resolve who could tour under the name. Billboard Canada’s 2024 report and the band’s official biography describe the licensing action.
Why was there a dispute over the touring act?
The conflict centered on a touring act using The Guess Who name and on whether its identity and promotion made clear that Cummings and Bachman were not performing. In a 2023 false-advertising complaint, Cummings and Bachman alleged that the name and promotional materials misled audiences about their involvement. Those statements are allegations in a court pleading, not findings that a court made on the merits.
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- Iconic Album: Rumours stands as one of the best-selling albums in music history, certified nineteen times platinum and widely regarded as the definitive album of the 1970s that transcends genre and generations
- Classic Tracks: Features timeless rock staples including Dreams, Don't Stop, Go Your Own Way, You Make Loving Fun, The Chain, and Gold Dust Woman, creating a collection that reads like a greatest hits package
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- Vinyl LP Format: This pressing captures the monumental 1977 album by the British-American rock band in authentic vinyl format, preserving the original sound quality and listening experience
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The band’s official biography presents the dispute from Cummings and Bachman’s perspective. It attributes to Cummings the description, “It was basically a cover band using our songs to promote their shows.” The same biography attributes to Bachman an account of fans who said, “We drove 200 miles to see you…and you weren’t even there!” These are the musicians’ reported statements, not independent findings about what every audience member understood. The complaint is available as reproduced by CCH: 2023 complaint.
How did the song-license issue differ from the name dispute?
| Issue | What it concerned | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| Song-performance permissions | Whether venues could authorize public performances of songs in the relevant licensing catalog. | Cummings withdrew agreements for songs he controlled in 2024, in an effort to stop the touring act from performing them. |
| Band-name rights and audience representation | Who could use The Guess Who name and how the touring act was presented to audiences. | Cummings and Bachman’s 2023 complaint alleged false advertising. The parties announced a settlement in September 2024, and the official biography says Cummings and Bachman regained control of the name. |
The distinction matters because “the license” in the headline refers to performance licensing, while the later settlement addressed the band-name dispute. Settlement coverage establishes that the parties announced a resolution, but does not disclose every term. The available sources do not establish a judicial ruling on the complaint’s allegations. CityNews Winnipeg’s September 4, 2024 report covered the settlement.
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What happened to The Guess Who name?
The Guess Who formed in 1965. The official biography says Randy Bachman departed in 1970 and Cummings left in 1975, after which the group disbanded. It also says a former member trademarked the name in 1978 without their knowledge. That is the band’s own account of the history, rather than a neutral legal record.
After the parties announced a September 2024 settlement, reporting described the trademark as returning to Cummings and Bachman; the official biography says they regained control of the name. The available settlement coverage does not set out all the agreement’s terms, so the settlement should not be treated as a court ruling on the complaint’s claims.
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- Considered one of the greatest debut albums in rock history, Van Halen took the music world by storm in 1978 with an 11-song manifesto that features some of rock radio s most played songs of all time and scorching concert staples like "Runnin With The Devil," "Ain t Talkin Bout Love," "Jamie s Cryin ," the band s signature cover of The Kinks "You Really Got Me, " and Eddie Van Halen s finger-tapping tour de force, "Eruption."Mastering engineer Chris Bellman, who remastered the original albums at Bernie Grundman Mastering Studios, was enlisted for this new version. In order to produce the original sound the band intended, Bellman cut straight
Are Cummings and Bachman touring as The Guess Who?
The official site announced a 2026 Takin’ It Back Tour featuring Cummings and Bachman as The Guess Who. Tour information changes, so an announcement alone does not establish that any particular concert is still scheduled or that tickets remain available. Check the official site for current listings.
What to know about the band’s catalog
The official biography says The Guess Who released eleven studio albums, all of which charted in Canada and the United States; it also says American Woman reached No. 1 in Canada and No. 9 in the United States. These are historical figures as stated by the band’s official biography, which does not give a publication date for them. The official store lists American Woman as a vinyl LP and identifies it as a 2023 reissue of the 1970 album. The official listing identifies Sony Music (Canada) Inc. as the label.
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- Hot Rocks 1964-1971 is the Rolling Stones' first anthology and one of their all-time best sellers
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