The estate of Johnny Cash has filed a lawsuit against Coca-Cola, accusing the company of illegally using an imitation of the country legend’s voice in a recent advertisement, marking one of the most high-profile legal tests yet of Tennessee’s new ELVIS Act.

Filed in Nashville, the lawsuit argues that the ad’s voiceover was intentionally crafted to resemble Cash’s distinctive tone, phrasing and gravelly timbre, violating newly enacted protections that ban unauthorized digital or performance-based vocal mimicry. The ELVIS Act, which expanded the state’s long-standing right-of-publicity rules earlier this year, was created to safeguard artists’ voices from AI replication and commercial imitation.

According to the complaint, the ad never uses Cash’s real recordings, but instead features what the estate describes as a “calculated impersonation” designed to evoke the singer without paying for his likeness. Cash’s representatives say this crosses a legal line that legislators explicitly aimed to close, particularly as AI-generated audio makes such mimicry cheaper and easier.

Coca-Cola has not issued a detailed response but has said it is reviewing the allegations. Legal analysts note that the case could set an important precedent for how brands navigate creative advertising under tightened voice-protection laws.

Cash, one of the most recognizable voices in American music, has long been a lucrative licensing figure for commercials, films and documentaries. His estate argues that bypassing permission erodes both artistic rights and commercial value.

As the case moves forward, the industry will be watching closely, especially as famous voices become increasingly vulnerable in an era of rapid generative technology.