Va. Lawmakers Get Tough on Fake Musicians

TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST, this writer can't remember what Fugees song a well-meaning twentysomething attempted around midnight last night at Galaxy Hut's regular karaoke night — "Killing Me Softly," perhaps? (This writer had been up since 5 a.m. and showed up late to help celebrate the last day of work for a departing Express co-worker. Forgive us.) What was evident is that the singer's voice started to induce slumber, and more importantly, she wasn't Lauryn Hill. And fortunately for her, she didn't claim she was Hill, at left, nor the Fugees' mysterious long-lost fourth member. Because if she had, she could have really angered Virginia lawmakers, including Del. David Albo, R-Fairfax, whose Truth in Music Advertising Act was green-lighted by the House of Delegates' Commerce and Labor Committee on Thursday.

Albo tells the Richmond Times-Dispatch's Greg Edwards:

"Say you want to see The Drifters," said Albo. "[And] there's not a single guy in that band who was ever in The Drifters. It's consumer fraud. It happens all the time."

Hmmm ... We were not aware that deceitful cover bands were a pressing problem for the commonwealth, like transportation funding. Nevertheless, the bill, which targets phony groups and their promoters, will move to the full House floor.

» "Panel's In Tune With Ban on 'Phony' Bands" [Richmond T-D]

Photo by Peter Kramer/Getty Images

Posted By Michael Grass at 12:30 PM on January 12, 2007 Tagged in Arts & Events , Clarendon , Free Ride , Music , Virginia

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