A Philadelphia-area wedding band known as Jellyroll, which trademarked its name in 2010, has filed a lawsuit against country music artist Jelly Roll, citing trademark infringement.
The dispute centers on the use of the name "Jellyroll" by the band and "Jelly Roll" by the singer, which the band claims is causing confusion due to the singer’s increasing popularity.
The band, which has been performing since 1980, asserts that recent internet searches for "Jellyroll" predominantly show results related to the country singer, pushing the band's links lower in search rankings.
The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on April 8, 2024, highlights the band's concern over losing visibility and recognition due to these search results.
Jason Bradley DeFord, known professionally as Jelly Roll, adopted the moniker around 2010, the same year the band secured their trademark.
Recently, DeFord sought to trademark "Jelly Roll" for merchandise, intensifying the trademark conflict. The lawsuit was triggered by the announcement of Jelly Roll's nationwide tour, which includes a concert at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
The wedding band had previously sent a cease-and-desist letter to the singer in late February, requesting that he stop using the name.