Jason Carruthers loves playing Slim Dusty songs. As far as he sees it, it's a tribute to Australia's greatest ever country music artist.
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He was due to perform The Slim and Friends Tribute Show at Club Maitland City on Saturday night.
But the show, along with others at Casino, Woolgoolga and Taree, have been cancelled.
The late Slim Dusty's 89-year-old wife, Joy Kirkpatrick [whose stage name was Joy McKean], sent letters to the clubs saying "the performance is not authorised".
"My lawyers have issued this person with a cease and desist letter," she wrote, in her position as managing director of Slim Dusty Enterprises.
She alleged that Mr Carruthers was "using my husband's name and reputation for his own benefit and commercial gain without permission from me or my family".
Mr Carruthers said he was "gutted".
"It’s a tribute show. It’s not just based on Slim Dusty. It's also based on five other artists, plus my original songs," he said.
"We’re not making a big buck using his name. It's little shows in little towns. We just make enough to get there and get back. If we come back with $100 in our pocket, we’re laughing."
Mr Carruthers believes he is allowed to perform Slim Dusty songs as long as he and the clubs pay the required royalties. He doesn't believe he is breaching trademark laws.
"I only do it because people love what we do," he said.
Bob "Minmi Magster" Skelton often performs bush poetry at shows with Mr Carruthers.
"He’s one of the few blokes keeping the old country music artists out there," the Magster said. "All the oldies come to listen to that stuff. They’ll be the losers. It’s disappointing."
Mr Carruthers said he'd made three banners for the shows that cost $125 each.
"I’ve used them once, now they’re going in the bin and I’ve got to revert back to my original name – The Australian Country Legends Tribute Show."
We contacted Slim Dusty Enterprises for comment, but they didn't respond.
