Universal Music Group is facing a lawsuit from a man named Gary Douglas Peabody, who claims he is owed over $72 million for unpaid work with artists like Johnny Cash, Twisted Sister, and Shania Twain. The lawsuit alleges that Peabody was contacted by Johnny Cash in 1970 to come to New York and sign as a singer, backup singer, and writer for UMG. Cash, who was working for UMG at the time, reportedly told Peabody that the company owed him $25 million and asked him to come to New York to collect the funds.
In 1993, Dee Snyder of Twisted Sister called Peabody and informed him that he was owed $10 million for lyrics he had written for the band, which was also signed to UMG. Peabody claims to have done backup lyrics work over the phone for UMG, with the songs he worked on allegedly generating $100 million in revenue.
In 1996, Shania Twain, another UMG artist, allegedly reached out to Peabody about a backup job. He also claims that UMG representatives contacted him in 2015 for lyrical services, which he provided over the phone. However, in 2017, Peabody declined a job offer from UMG because he had not been paid for his previous services.
After reaching out to UMG in April 2025 and receiving no response, Peabody decided to file a lawsuit seeking the $72,325,000 he believes he is owed. It is worth noting that Peabody does not mention having any contracts or written agreements with UMG regarding his work.
UMG has not yet responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit. It remains to be seen how this legal battle will unfold and whether Peabody will be successful in his claim for unpaid compensation.
