Universal Music Group Sued by Man Claiming He’s Owed for Work With Johnny Cash

Universal Music Group is being sued by a man who claims he worked with huge acts like Johnny Cash, Twisted Sister and Shania Twain and is owed over $72 million for unpaid services.

In the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, a man named Gary Douglas Peabody claims Johnny Cash called him up in 1970 and asked him to come to New York to get signed as a singer or backup singer and writer. He says Cash was working for UMG.

He claims Johnny called him up again in 1974 and told him UMG owed him $25 million … asking him to come to NY to collect the funds.

He also claims he did backup lyrics work over the phone for UMG … and says he’s been told the songs he worked on generated $100 million.

Peabody claims in 1996 Shania Twain, who is signed to UMG, called him and discussed a backup job.

He says UMG reps called him in 2015 and asked him for lyrical services, which he says he provided over the phone … and he claims in 2017 he declined a job offer with UMG because he hadn’t been paid for prior services.

Peabody claims he reached out to UMG about being paid in April 2025 and hasn’t heard back, so he filed a lawsuit. He says he’s owed $72,325,000.

Worth noting … he doesn’t mention any contracts or having anything in writing.