Hall Sues Oates: Music Duo Now Engaged in Nashville Legal Dispute

Musicians Daryl Hall and John Oates perform on stage on the last day of the North Sea Jazz festival in Ahoy, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, on July 14, 2019. Netherlands Out Paul Bergen/AFP via Getty Images

The beginnings of a dispute between long-time music duo Hall & Oates were filed in recent weeks in the Chancery Court of Davidson County, Tennessee, with much of the dispute being sealed by the court and not available for public review.

Court documents do reveal, however, that Daryl Hall filed a lawsuit against John Oates, his long-time music partner, in what is listed as a “contract/debt” case. Limited details allude to the dispute concerning their partnership and trust agreements, according to court records reviewed by The Epoch Times.

Mr. Hall, in his capacity as trustee of the Daryl Hall Revocable Trust and as an individual, has moved for a temporary restraining order against John Oates, his wife Aimee J. Oates, and Richard Flynn, the co-trustees.

The motion, filed on November 16, 2023, seeks to halt actions related to a specific transaction, few details of which are outlined in court filings. The nature of the dispute and the specifics of the transaction in question remain unclear, but the filing indicates a serious breakdown in the duo’s relationship.

Limited Details in Contract Dispute

The court filings reveal that Mr. Hall sought the court’s permission to file certain documents under seal, citing the private nature of the litigation and the potential harm that public disclosure could bring the parties.

This motion was granted by the court, emphasizing the confidential elements of their limited partnership agreement and ongoing private arbitration.

In addition to seeking to seal these documents, Mr. Hall has moved for a temporary restraining order to prevent any further actions related to a proposed sale—of what remains unknown—to Primary Wave IP Investment Management LLC.

The court granted this order, acknowledging the potential for “imminent, irreparable harm” to the plaintiffs should the transaction proceed.

This decision temporarily halts any further developments in the transaction until arbitration plays its course or the court makes a determination. The case is set to be heard next Thursday, November 30, in Nashville.

The nature of the dispute, as detailed in the court documents, centers on the interpretation of terms within their Limited Liability Partnership Agreement.

Hall & Oates

The duo was formed in the early 1970s in Philadelphia, becoming known for their hits “You Make My Dreams (Come True),” “Maneater,” and “Rich Girl.”

They hold the title as the best-selling music duo in history, according to their official website. Their journey began as admirers of soul music and evolved into becoming influential artists themselves, impacting a wide range of musical genres, their website says.

Their career took off in the early 1970s after signing with Atlantic Records, where they released albums like “Abandoned Luncheonette,” featuring the hit single “She’s Gone.” Their success continued at RCA, leading to international fame and a string of No. 1 hits.

By 1984, the RIAA officially recognized them as the number-one selling duo in music history. They were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.

They duo never publicly split up, but in recent years have performed separately and explored the nature of solo work in various media interviews. Also, on the tour section of their website, the two are split into individual tours for the remainder of 2023.

Mr. Hall told the LA Times in 2022 that: “Perceptions changed, life changed, everything changed. I’m more interested in pursuing my own world. And so is John.”

Just last month, Mr. Oates told The Tennessean, a Nashville newspaper, that, “Being creatively freed of perpetual connection to my hits while still retaining the power of my legacy is a satisfying feeling.”