The estate of Johnny Cash has filed a federal lawsuit against the Coca-Cola Company, alleging that the beverage maker used an unauthorized imitation of the late singer’s voice in a national advertising campaign for the 2025 NCAA college football season.

The November 25 complaint, filed in the Middle District of Tennessee, accuses Coca-Cola of violating the state’s recently enacted Ensuring Likeness, Voice, and Image Security (ELVIS) Act, as well as federal false-endorsement laws and state consumer-protection statutes.

Newsweek contacted the estate of Johnny Cash and Coca-Cola via email outside of normal business hours on Thursday for comment.

Why It Matters

The lawsuit matters because it tests the boundaries of Tennessee’s new ELVIS Act—one of the first laws in the nation to explici

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