The Guess Who’s lead singer and guitarist returned to the stage together for the first time in decades, launching their reunion tour while the other half of the band filed a new lawsuit. Rolling Stone reported this development.
The lawsuit centers on a dispute over performing rights and financial losses stemming from the band’s internal conflicts.
“The lead singer and guitarist of the legendary classic rock band the Guess Who returned to the stage together for the first time in decades Saturday, launching their Takin’ It Back reunion tour with a show in Ontario,” Rolling Stone reported. “Meanwhile, the other half of the fractured Canadian band is back as well – this time with a new lawsuit over the former group’s bitter tour war.”
The legal action involves founding members seeking damages from a performing rights management firm.
“In their new complaint filed Wednesday against performing rights management firm BMI, Guess Who founding drummer Garry Peterson and founding bassist James Kale claim they suffered millions of dollars in losses when lead singer and songwriter Burton Cummings – who owns the publishing rights to the Guess Who’s biggest hits, including ‘American Woman,’ ‘These Eyes,’ and ‘No Time’ – went nuclear two years ago and terminated his entire performing rights agreement with BMI,” the report continued.
The plaintiffs’ legal representation emphasized the broader impact of the dispute.
“It’s not just Garry Peterson and Jim Kale who suffered,” the plaintiffs’ lawyer said to Rolling Stone. “In some cases, the venues had no time to find substitute acts and went dark. Some promoters lost a lot of money promoting the shows. What happened doesn’t make sense. With most contracts, particularly commercial contracts, you have to give notice.”
The reunion tour proceeds despite the ongoing legal battle between the band members.
This latest legal battle represents the culmination of years of internal disputes that have fractured the legendary Canadian rock band. The current lawsuit builds upon previous conflicts that have divided the original members into competing factions.
Ultimate Classic Rock revealed that the current legal dispute stems from a prior 2023 lawsuit where Bachman and Cummings successfully reclaimed the band’s name from Peterson and Kale’s lineup, which was described as a “cover band” after Cummings withheld performing rights to key hits. This earlier legal victory paved the way for the current reunion tour featuring the original songwriting duo.
The January 31 reunion show in Niagara Falls, Ontario marked a significant milestone for the band. Ultimate Classic Rock documented that the performance featured a set list blending Guess Who classics like “American Woman” and “No Time” with Bachman-Turner Overdrive covers such as “Let It Ride.” This marked Bachman and Cummings’ first joint performances as The Guess Who in over 20 years.
The reunion tour extends beyond this single performance. Ultimate Classic Rock confirmed additional 2026 dates across 12 Canadian cities, including Toronto and Edmonton. Don Felder, former Eagles guitarist, will open most shows on the tour, adding another layer of classic rock pedigree to the performances.
Despite the ongoing legal challenges from Peterson and Kale, the Bachman-Cummings partnership appears committed to continuing their reunion tour throughout 2026. They are bringing their classic hits back to Canadian audiences after decades of separation.
