The Death of an R&B Legend who made Legal History!

An R&B legend has died.  She had the voice of an angel, and when you heard it, you knew who it was.  Her name....Marie Christine Brockert, but we know her as Teena Marie.  She had the nickname of "Lady T" and was the protege of Rick James.  She also played the congos and the guitar.  But more importantly, she made legal history for recording artists.

In 1982, Motown sued Teena Marie for breach of contract after she informed the label that she no longer wanted to perform; in turn, Ms. Marie filed a countersuit against the legendary company and won. The countersuit resulted in the landmark artists’ rights initiative known as “The Brockert Initiative,” - Ms. Marie’s last name - placing strict limitations on the length of artist/company contracts. This historical entertainment mandate states that no recording company can contractually bind an artist while refusing to release his/her product.

RIP Teena Marie!