NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: R&B and soul singer Daryl Hall was granted a restraining order against his former Hall & Oates bandmate John Oates, following his lawsuit against Oates regarding a contract and debt issue.
Hall and Oates were an iconic musical pair from the 1970s who released 18 studio albums between 1972 and 2006.
However, in unsettling news for fans worldwide, a judge granted Hall, 77, a temporary restraining order against Oates, 75, ending the duo's cherished 1970s pop career.
Pop rock duo 'Hall & Oates' embroiled in secret lawsuit
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, on November 16, Hall and his trust, The Daryl Hall Revocable Trust, filed a lawsuit against Oates and his personal trust, The John W Oates TISA Trust, as well as its co-trustees, in Nashville Chancery Court.
The lawsuit's specifics are limited because the filings are sealed and categorized as a "contract/debt" dispute, and neither party has commented on the circumstances.
The details of the dispute remain withheld from the general public, leaving fans to wonder if the creators of songs like 'Maneater' and 'Rich Girl' are indeed 'Out of Touch.'
TMZ, however, asserted that the two were "in arbitration over some dispute," either related to "over division of royalties, or it could be over Oates singing their songs in solo acts."
Oates, a Nashville native, appears to be at the center of this legal tempest based on the selection of a Nashville Chancery Court.
Apart from the lawsuit, Hall also requested a temporary restraining order against Oates, which will take effect from November 30, per The Guardian.
The case is secret and hidden from prying eyes, which adds to the mystery surrounding the fight between the two musical masters that is gradually coming to an end.
Daryl Hall and John Oates are not 'creative partners'
According to Philadelphia magazine, the aforementioned lawsuit was filed in the midst of public hostility between Hall and Oates.
Speaking in an interview for Bill Maher's 'Club Random' podcast in 2022, Hall claimed that Oates was not his "creative partner."
Hall told Maher at the time, "He’s my business partner. He’s not my creative partner."
"John and I are brothers, but we are not creative brothers. We are business partners. We made records called Hall & Oates together, but we’ve always been very separate, and that’s a really important thing for me," Hall added.
Grammy-nominated duo Hall & Oates has broken up and reformed multiple times
Since their 1970 debut, Hall & Oates have outsold both Simon & Garfunkel and The Everly Brothers to become the most commercially successful duo in recorded music history.
The Grammy-nominated pair has split up and reunited multiple times over the course of their career. However, the two have never formally called it quits.
In an interview with the Guardian in 2021, the two discussed their influence on commercial radio and how "crossover music" is becoming increasingly accepted.
Oates told The Guardian at the time, "One of the things I don’t think we get full credit for is opening up the minds of commercial radio for that possibility."
"So to us it was normal, that was the music we made, it appealed to a wide variety of people. I think we opened the door to more acceptance of what they defined as crossover music," he added.
Despite their record-breaking album sales and sold-out tours, the couple was told in 1987 that they were practically broke due to accounting problems.
According to Daily Mail, Oates was compelled to liquidate his four residences, aircraft, and an assortment of vintage cars.
In 2008 and 2015, they also filed lawsuits against their own publisher and a granola company for marketing 'Haulin' Oats.'
In a different interview in 2022, Hall declared that the two would not be collaborating on any future songs. "I don’t have any plans to work with John. I mean, whatever. Time will tell," he told the LA Times.
He added, "Perceptions changed, life changed, everything changed. I’m more interested in pursuing my own world. And so is John."
Individual ventures and net worths
Amidst legal troubles, Daryl Hall and John Oates have undertaken their individual projects.
With a staggering $70 million net worth, per CеlеbrityNеtWorth, Hall exhibited his unwavering dedication to music by going on an international tour with Todd Rundgren and bringing back his webcast, 'Live From Daryl's House.'
According to CelebrityNetWorth, Hall has put out a handful of records during his solo career, including 'Laughing Down Crying,' 'The Classic Ballads,' and 'Sacred Songs.'
On the other hand, Oates has actively contributed to Nashville's artistic scene by putting out singles and showing up in significant roles, with a whopping $60 million net worth, per CеlеbrityNеtWorth.
Oates has also put out several albums as a solo artist, including 'Phung Shio,' '1000 Miles of Life,' and 'The Good Road Band.' He also wrote a book that was released in 2017 called 'Seasons of Change.'
Fans have been left wondering about the true causes of Hall's apparent falling out with Oates as he navigates this new chapter characterized by legal action.
