The intent of the legislation is to prevent unfair or deceptive trade practices, and to protect the livelihood of musicians who were in famous musical groups.
Ben E. King said he, Thomas and Bill Pinkney were losing out on potential gigs and income because there were "so many fake Drifters performing".
He allied with the Vocal Group Hall of Fame (VGHF) to bring famous musicians together to help promote these new laws.
"[8] The Drifters formed in 1953 with singer Clyde McPhatter and manager George Treadwell sharing the name equally.
In 1969, the founder and editor of Rock Magazine, Larry Marshak, planned a series of concerts to be performed by classic vocal groups including the Drifters.
Former Drifter Ben E. King responded that he would not perform, but he referred Marshak to Charlie Thomas, Elsbeary Hobbs and Doc Green, who agreed.
[4] Marshak, his associate Barry Singer, and their attorney William L. Charron countersued, charging that New Jersey's Attorney General Anne Milgram should not have issued subpoenas to the Atlantic City Hilton Casino in her effort to enforce the state's recently passed Truth in Music law, to stop performances by groups billed as the Platters, the Drifters and the Coasters.
[14] In September 2007, U.S. District Judge Dickinson R. Debevoise found Marshak in contempt of court for continuing to use the group names after the 1999 injunction against him doing so.
The court discovered that Marshak had employed business associates and his relatives to run legal entities which promoted concerts by the Platters, the Coasters and the Drifters despite having no original singers among the performers.
[19] The Truth in Music legislation was dealt a blow in August 2010 after a federal appeals court ordered the state of New Jersey to pay "significant" attorney's fees to Marshak and his associates.
[22] Musicians Jon "Bowzer" Bauman testified in support of the bill before the House Intellectual Property Subcommittee; Mary Wilson also lobbied for the legislation.
Sponsored by State Senator Andrew J. McDonald, Connecticut passed the legislation as "An Act Concerning Truth in Music Advertising", effective July 1, 2006.
[46] Co-sponsored by State Senator Spencer Coggs, Wisconsin heard arguments for the legislation in March 2007.
[70] Sponsored by Representative Greg Hughes, Utah's House passed the bill unanimously in March 2009 as "Truth in Music".
[77][78] New Mexico's State Representative Al Park sponsored the bill which was passed by the House in March 2009.
[80] The bill was titled "An Act to Prohibit the Advertising and Conducting of Certain Live Musical Performances or Productions, to Provide for Enforcement, and to Impose a Penalty.
"[81] Sponsored by Karen Keiser, Washington considered the legislation during February–April 2009, with both the Senate and the House voting unanimously to pass the bill.
[83][84] Titled "An Act prohibiting the advertising and conducting of certain live musical performances or productions", the bill was signed into law in August 2009, to become effective on January 1, 2010.
[86] Maryland heard State Senator Michael G. Lenett introduce the bill in February 2008,[87] and passed the legislation in 2010 as the "Truth in Music Advertising Act".
[92] Sponsored by State Senator John "Dick" Crosby, Georgia considered the legislation during March 2009,[93][94] but the bill died in chamber.
Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming have not passed the legislation.