PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Grammy-winning country singer Jelly Roll is facing a federal lawsuit filed by a member of a local band of the same name. The longtime Delaware Valley wedding band is suing the artist for trademark infringement.
The band Jellyroll, based out of Chadds Ford, Delaware County, has been performing under the name since the 1980s — four years before now-popular singer Jelly Roll was born.
Attorneys for Jellyroll band member Kurt Titchenell say the use of the name online and on social media has negatively impacted the band’s Google search results and created confusion. They say Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason Bradley DeFord, is infringing on the band’s trademark of “Jellyroll.”
After a series of cease and desist letters, Titchenell’s lawsuit is now asking DeFord to stop using “Jelly Roll” as his stage name.
DeFord has 30 days to respond to the civil lawsuit. An attorney for the singer was not listed in court documents, and DeFord has not mentioned the lawsuit on social media.