French Quarter Bar Sued for Copyright Infringement by ASCAP
A New Orleans bar in the French Quarter is facing a federal lawsuit alleging unauthorized performances of copyrighted music. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) filed the suit against Garage Music Club last week, claiming the venue played copyrighted songs without obtaining the necessary license.
This isn’t the first time business owner Guy Olano III has faced such legal action from ASCAP. The licensing agency previously sued Olano in 2019 regarding music performances at his Frenchmen Street venue, Bamboula’s. That lawsuit was settled in 2021.
Olano and his family have a long history of owning and operating bars and clubs in the New Orleans area, dating back to at least the 1990s, and have faced prior licensing and permitting violations. In 2015, another Olano-owned bar, Last Call, was shut down by state officials due to allegations of selling alcohol to minors and allowing prostitution. Four of the Olano family’s Bourbon Street strip clubs were also cited in 2015 for alleged illegal drug activity and prostitution, though those clubs are no longer in operation. In 2020, Olano was part of a group of strip club owners sued by New Orleans dancers over employment status and wages, a case that settled the following year.
ASCAP filed 11 copyright infringement actions nationwide last week, with Garage Music Club being one of the establishments cited for allegedly failing to secure proper licensing for music performances. According to a press release, ASCAP Executive Vice President and Head of Licensing Stephanie Ruyle stated that the businesses “have chosen to infringe upon the hard work of songwriters instead of licensing the music they play, despite repeated notifications and opportunities to do so.”
Understanding Music Licensing and ASCAP
U.S. Law requires any entity publicly broadcasting or performing copyrighted music to obtain a license. ASCAP manages these licenses and ensures that songwriters and music publishers receive royalties for the leverage of their work. The organization represents over 1.1 million songwriters, composers, and music publishers.
Jackson Wagener, ASCAP’s senior vice president for business and legal affairs, emphasized the importance of these royalties for songwriters. “For many of the ASCAP songwriter members, the royalties they earn from ASCAP are their primary or only source of income. And so they use those royalties and those payments to pay rent, position food on the table, put their kids through school,” Wagener said.
ASCAP offers a “blanket license” to tiny businesses, granting them the right to play over 20 million songs in its catalog. Wagener noted that venues hosting cover bands, DJs, karaoke, or playing recorded music are “virtually guaranteed” to be playing copyrighted material. The cost of a license for an average-sized live music venue is approximately $750 per year. Alternatively, a business without an ASCAP license would need to negotiate directly with each copyright owner.
Allegations Against Garage Music Club
ASCAP claims to have contacted Olano more than 80 times since December 2022, offering a license for Garage Music Club. Despite these efforts, the venue allegedly continued to host performances of copyrighted music without permission. The lawsuit specifically cites performances of “Hold on Loosely” by 38 Special and “Too Much Time on My Hands” by Styx, which allegedly occurred during a karaoke event on September 25, 2025.
Wagener concluded, “When music licensing is done right it’s a win for everybody. Venue owners have the benefit of playing fine music at their bars and their establishments. The songwriters benefit because they’re able to continue to make a living from their craft. And music consumers benefit because there’s more great music in the world.”