An acclaimed choral composer and Auburn University music professor is being sued for defamation after accusing Indiana Bible College of using one of her compositions without permission.
The Pentecostal institution filed a federal lawsuit June 2 asserting Rosephanye Powell and Fred Bock Music Co., owner of Gentry Publications, marred the school’s reputation and caused it to lose revenue, according to a report by IndyStar.
Rosephanye Powell
The complaint followed a May 23 cease-and-desist letter Powell and her publisher sent the Indianapolis college insisting its song “John 1” was taken from her 1996 cappella composition, “The Word Was God,” which also is based on the first chapter of John’s Gospel.
A recording of the college choir performing “John 1” became available on Apple Music May 2, where it continues to be available, and sheet music also is for sale.
“Neither I nor my publisher approved or authorized these actions, and now I have been informed by some that Indiana Bible College Choir is profiting financially from my work through music sales on their website and through digital platforms,” Powell said in the May 23 post.
“This song is undeniably a derivative of my work. They made minor alterations to notes, rests, and rhythms, including omitting the second ‘and’ in the predominant motive that runs throughout my song.”
But the Indiana Bible College lawsuit claims “John 1” is an original work it owns outright and does not violate any of the “protectable elements” of Powell’s composition.
The complaint also charges Powell and her publisher made “false statements across Dr. Powell’s and Fred Bock’s social-media channels” and used the media and others to defame IBC, generate hostility toward it, disrupt revenues from the song and hurt enrollment.
The lawsuit adds that third parties “have viewed, shared or reposted defendants’ statements, further damaging plaintiff’s business and personal reputations.”
The college seeks punitive and compensatory damages and wants the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana to rule that “John 1” does not infringe on Powell’s composition.
Powell is described as one of the nation’s premier female composers and conductors and is the author of African American Spiritual Dialect: A Practical Guide for Singers, Voice Teachers, and Choral Conductors.
Her stature has earned her a multitude of supporters in her dispute with IBC, especially in social media comments and posts related to her statements about the situation.
“The disregard for me and my work is both unprofessional and deeply troubling.”
“We stand with Rosephanye Powell,” J.W. Pepper Sheet Music shared on Facebook. “As a champion of original music, we support the artists whose work we distribute. We applaud Dr. Powell’s courage in speaking out to defend her intellectual property. Creative work is not only labor — it’s legacy.”
“I love hearing composers talk about the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of their decisions and art. Thank you, Dr. Powell,” a commenter said on the J.W. Pepper post.
Powell leaned into social media to plead her case in the conflict with the college, which is affiliated with the United Pentecostal Church International.
Writing on Facebook, she said it all began when a TikTok video of the IBC choir performing “The Word Was God” went viral in January 2024. The performance was done without her or the publisher’s consent. The school was warned to destroy the video and music “and we believed the matter was resolved,” she said.
But in May, Powell started receiving emails and texts informing her the school was presenting elements of her piece as an original song titled “John 1.”
“The disregard for me and my work is both unprofessional and deeply troubling. As an African American composer, I am acutely aware of our nation’s history of Black artists having their musical property taken without credit or consent,” she replied.
Powell also posted a video and ChatGPT comparison of the two songs as well as links to growing media coverage of the case.
The support she and her family have received has provided the determination and courage needed to push back against the false claims and intimidation made in the lawsuit, she said June 7.
“So, let it be known that this is no mere battle of convenience. This is no fleeting protest. This is my stand, my family’s stand — our stand. Until there is justice in this matter, this IS a hill to die on.”