It’s been recently reported by Pitchfork, that American Recordings and Universal Music Group (UMG)—the label and parent company behind Johnny Cash recordings—have sent a cease and desist letter to Stormfront, a white nationalist site and one of the first racial hate sites to come on the world wide web, over its use of his music. Stormfront has been playing Cash’s cover of Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down” as theme music for its radio program.
The letter from American Recordings and UMG stated that they haven’t licensed, granted permission, nor authorized Stormfront’s founder Don Black, a former Klu Klux Klan leader, or online host Rense Radio Network to use the song. After receiving the letter, Stormfront Radio replaced Cash’s cover with the old Confederate standard “The South Will Rise Again” on September 6. Stormfront Radio’s host Patrick Slattery shared his opinions of the situation to his listeners saying “These Jews are trying to crack down on us every way they can. We will not be able to use ‘I Won‘t Back Down’ as theme music anymore, but I can guarantee you, we’re not backing down.”