Taylor Hicks Plaintiff Hits Back in Copyright Battle  8/28/06

The producer being sued for releasing tracks American Idol winner Taylor Hicks recorded in the late 1990s, insists he's only trying to show fans just how good the singer truly is.

Nashville, Tennessee-based producer William Smith is being sued by Hicks' attorneys for releasing three lost tracks to Internet download warehouse iTunes.

But he wants Hicks' fans to know that he didn't release the tunes to enrich himself, adding, "I'm being sued because I am a better producer than American Idol."

Smith insists he chose to hand over the lost tracks Hicks had recorded after the silver-haired singer's debut release, Do I Make You Proud, was panned by critics.

Smith says, "He was getting killed by that goofy single, and I knew he was better than that.

"I love Taylor Hicks. I had a three-year relationship with him. That single sucks, and this was purely altruistic on my part. I wanted to show critics that were killing him that he was way more than American Idol."

Hicks is seeking compensatory and punitive damages in excess of $75,000.