A footnote to November 2011 articles pertaining to Tim McGraw's supposed victory in a lawsuit against Curb Records indicated that while the singer was free to sign another recording contract, proceedings would continue in July 2012 to determine if the singer owed his former label damages. According to a press release on behalf of Curb, a Nashville court ruled on the matter today (June 28), deciding McGraw still owes his former label an album.

Now, the label is looking into when, exactly, 20 songs McGraw cut for a new project on his new label home, Big Machine Records, were recorded. "Curb Records believes, and has asked the court to find, that Tim remains under contract and the '20 recordings' belong to Curb, as they were recorded during the term of Curb’s Recording Agreement," the release states.

Additionally, Curb is appealing the November decision that McGraw could become a free agent. They believe he is still an artist on Curb Records, and that Big Machine had no right to sign McGraw until his contract with them was over. McGraw signed a deal with Big Machine on May 9, 2012, 23 years after signing his first contract with Curb.

Both Curb and Big Machine seem to be ramping up promotion of McGraw's music. Curb released a new single from 'Emotional Traffic' called 'Right Back Atcha Babe' to radio this month, while McGraw announced he's excited to release a new single called 'Truck Yeah' in July.

It's not clear how today's announcement will affect the new project on Big Machine, if at all. Curb was granted a postponement in the trial to gather further evidence about the singer's recordings and contract with Big Machine Records.

Update: Tim McGraw issued a statement Thursday night which alleges that the press release made on behalf of Curb Records on Thursday afternoon is both "misleading and inaccurate." Read his side of the story here.

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