Kid Rock Changes Name of Tour After Lawsuit

Kid Rock has had to make some changes to his upcoming U.S. tour after a lawsuit involving the trek’s name, Amplify reports.

Rock had initially named his tour The Greatest Show on Earth, but after a lawsuit filed in December by Feld Entertainment, owners of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, the musician has changed the name to The American Rock N Roll Tour.

Rock’s latest album, Sweet Southern Sugar, contains songs titled both “Greatest Show on Earth” and “American Rock ‘n Roll.”

“While I firmly believe that I am entitled under the First Amendment to name my Tour after my song,” Rock said in a declaration submitted to the court. “I have changed the Tour name because I do not want this lawsuit to distract me or my fans from focusing on what is important in my upcoming Tour—my music.”

Rock initially attempted to get the suit dropped, but when that failed, he changed the tour’s name across all marketing, ticketing and promotion channels.

Despite the name change, Feld has not dropped the suit, stating in a Jan. 12 rebuttal that the musician’s voluntary decision to refrain from using the trademark does not change its need for a preliminary injunction, Billboard reports. Attorney Brian Albritton claimed that Rock is still displaying the infringed mark and intends to sell merchandise using the mark.

Albritton wrote, “If the defendants sincerely intend not to infringe, the injunction harms them little; if they do, it gives [plaintiff] substantial protection of its trademark.”

The circus ended its run last year, but Feld still retains ownership of the iconic slogan. Attorney Steven Lowy with Isaacman, Kaufman & Painter Attorneys in Los Angeles said it is unclear whether the name change will be enough to resolve the suit.

“The song and video may not violate the trademark because it falls into a different class of goods and services,” Lowy said, adding that “the proceedings could endure because of damages and lawyer fees.”

A hearing on the preliminary injunction is set for Tuesday in Tampa, Florida, federal court, and Rock’s tour kicks off Jan. 19 in Nashville.

Photo Credit: Twitter / @KidRock