A recording intended as an interpretation of a work is not a sound-alike; it is a cover version, for which many countries require licensing for any performance or distribution.
Sound-alike albums have also long been issued by small, budget-minded record companies, as a way to cash in on the popular artists, movies or show tunes from hit plays currently in style.
An early example of this is "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer," whose original singer Elmo Shropshire re-recorded the song after he had sold his master recording rights in 1982 and was unable to get them back.
In 1969, a semi-professional singer named Vickie Jones made the headlines for impersonating Aretha Franklin at several shows in Florida, and escaped prosecution only because of the coercive treatment to which her manager had subjected her.
"Old Cape Cod" was the subject of a 1990 lawsuit subsequent to a sound-alike version of the Patti Page hit which was featured in a 1989 commercial for American Savings Bank.
[5] Guitarist Carlos Santana sued over a commercial music bed which closely imitated his playing and arranging style.