The Homecoming

Storylines

Canada's first music copyright trial took place in Ontario's highest court just over forty years ago. It saw a little-known lounge musician named Ivan Gondos face off against established hitmaker Hagood Hardy. The ruling helped define today’s copyright law, but the song in question and the (downright bizarre) story behind it, have largely been forgotten. But not in Pete Mitton’s family! Pete’s mom worked at the restaurant where Ivan Gondos used to play piano, and she’s spent the past four decades convinced the song was stolen. Pete went looking for the truth and unearthed a story that takes us through the claws-out lounge music scene of 1970’s Toronto. It’s a story involving swanky piano lounges, the plaintiff testifying from his deathbed, a big courtroom reveal, and tea commercial that nobody could get enough of.