The Latest: Led Zeppelin thankful 'Stairway' rift is settled | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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The Latest: Led Zeppelin thankful 'Stairway' rift is settled

FILE - In this Oct. 9, 2012 file photo, Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, left, and singer Robert Plant appear at a press conference ahead of the worldwide theatrical release of "Celebration Day," a concert film of their 2007 London O2 arena reunion show, in New York. Led Zeppelin's lawyers asked a judge Monday, June 20, 2016, to throw out a case accusing the band's songwriters of ripping off a riff for "Stairway to Heaven." (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
Original Publication Date June 23, 2016 - 10:30 AM

LOS ANGELES - The Latest on a copyright lawsuit against members of Led Zeppelin over the Intro to "Stairway to Heaven" (all times local):

11:55 a.m.

Led Zeppelin's songwriters say they are pleased a jury decided they didn't steal a riff for "Stairway to Heaven."

Guitarist Jimmy Page and singer Robert Plant issued a brief statement Thursday after a federal court jury in Los Angeles found they did not lift a passage from the Spirit song "Taurus" for the intro to their rock classic.

The two say they are grateful to the jury and look forward to putting the matter behind them.

Wearing sharp suits and their hair pulled back in ponytails, both musicians left court without speaking publicly.

Lawyers for the trust of Spirit's late founder, Randy Wolfe, say they are sad and disappointed with the verdict.

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10:30 a.m.

A Los Angeles jury has decided the band Led Zeppelin did not steal the opening to its classic anthem "Stairway to Heaven."

The federal jury reached its verdict Thursday, settling a point that music fans have debated for decades but didn't find its way to court until two years ago.

The trust for the late songwriter Randy Wolfe claimed Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page and singer Robert Plant stole a riff from Wolfe's 1968 instrumental "Taurus" recorded with the band Spirit.

Page, Plant and bassist John Paul Jones all testified in the case, providing anecdotes about the 1971 creation of "Stairway to Heaven."

Experts who testified for the trust said the two songs bear striking similarities, while defence experts said they shared a common musical building block.

The lawsuit said Led Zeppelin had a history of ripping off works by other songwriters and had settled at least six other copyright cases.

News from © The Associated Press, 2016
The Associated Press

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