British judge awards Procol Harum organist
share of 'White Shade of Pale' rights

Associated Press • 20 December 2006

LONDON: A British judge on Wednesday awarded the former organist of 1960s rock band Procol Harum a 40 percent share in the copyright of A Whiter Shade of Pale.

Matthew Fisher had sued Procol Harum singer Gary Brooker and publisher Onward Music Ltd. for both the credit and a share of the song's copyright and royalties.

Brooker, who is credited as the song's author with lyricist Keith Reid, says the pair wrote the song before Fisher joined the band in March 1967.

Judge William Blackburne found that Brooker [sic] was entitled to a share of the rights

"His contribution to the overall work was on any view substantial but not, in my judgment, as substantial as that of Mr Brooker," Blackburne said.