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In civil court documents obtained by Daily Voice, lawyers for the band's leader Kurt Titchenell say their client and others have been performing throughout the Delaware Valley and beyond under the name Jellyroll since "at least" 1980.
Meanwhile, Jelly Roll the solo artist – born Jason Bradley DeFord – began performing under the name around 2010, according to the legal complaint.
DeFord, born in 1984, has said his mother gave him the nickname as a young child, years after the musical group was already formed, the suit claims.
Attorneys also said the band Jellyroll registered the name as a trademark in 2010 with renewals in 2016 and 2019.
Lawyers for the band allege that DeFord's use of the name "is causing, has already caused, and will continue to cause, not merely a likelihood of confusion, but actual confusion" among consumers, as well as "financial injury and harm" to the band.
"Prior to the Defendant’s recent rise in notoriety, a search of the name of Jellyroll on most search engines, and particularly Google, returned references to the Plaintiff," the complaint says.
"Now, any such search on Google returns multiple references to Defendant, perhaps as many as 18-20 references before any reference to Plaintiff’s entertainment dance band known as Jellyroll® can be found."
They also said they sent the solo artist a cease-and-desist letter in February, but that Jelly Roll's team "inquired as to whether (DeFord) really was in competition with (the band)."
According to the suit, Jellyroll the band provides "musical and vocal accompaniment for celebratory and charitable events," including two past appearances at the George W. Bush White House.
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