Tom Waits Won Voice-Imitation Lawsuit

In 1988, Tom Waits sued Frito-Lay after its advertising agency modeled a SalsaRio Doritos radio jingle on his 1976 song "Step Right Up" and hired a singer to imitate his gravelly voice. The choice was deeply ironic because Waits described the song, a parody of commercial hucksterism, as an indictment of advertising. The commercial aired on more than 250 radio stations, leading listeners to believe Waits had endorsed Doritos despite his public opposition to commercial endorsements. A jury ruled in his favor and awarded him more than $2 million, exceeding everything he had earned from his previous albums combined.

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