For those who were tuned into the music scene in the early ’90s, it’s possible you recall a notable feud between Kenny Loggins and Garth Brooks over a disputed song named ‘Standing Outside the Fire,’ which Brooks released in December 1993 as part of his ‘In Pieces’ album.
Two years ago from Garth, Loggins and guitarist Guy Thomas had written ‘Convictions of the Heart.’ After listening to ‘Standing Outside the Fire,’ they felt it was too much like their song. Then, the two musicians found themselves in a legal battle. Years later, Kenny reflected on the lawsuit in his 2022 chat with Spin, where he discussed his memoir, ‘Still Alright.’ He said:
“I hope he doesn’t sue me again for mentioning that I sued him [laughs]. Sometimes, you just have to draw the line. Garth is infamous for being inspired by other people’s work. He said to me, ‘Well, I love that song.’ What he said to his co-writer was that I came really close on ‘Conviction of the Heart’ and just missed, so he kind of took it and made it what he thought it should have been.”
In court, the key question was whether Brooks borrowed from the original song on purpose or if it was a subconscious influence. Loggins asserted that Brooks admitted to intentionally taking from the song, explaining:
“[I]n this case with Garth, it was a conscious effort. He told me so. He said ‘I want something just like this’ to his co-writer. That’s why it wound up on the steps of the courthouse.”
After Garth objected to the suggestion made by Loggins to receive a share of the huge hit’s earnings, Kenny and Thomas filed a $5 million lawsuit against the singer. Loggins recalled their moments at the court with the following words in his memoir:
“Garth actually showed up in the courtroom with an acoustic guitar, ready to play the song live for the judge. When they emerged [When the judge called Brooks and Thomas into his chambers], Garth was ready to settle.”
In 1998, just an hour before Brooks was set to testify, his lawyers reached an out-of-court settlement. Garth’s attorney, Bruce Isaacs, stated that the matter had been resolved amicably. The settlement came after two hours of negotiations between Brooks’ and Thomas’ legal teams, which ended over two years of legal disputes.
You can listen to the song two songs below.
