Father and son caught up in legal dispute over The Imperials name

A LAWSUIT embroiling veteran CCM and Southern gospel group The Imperials has caused considerable controversy. Co-founder Armond Morales, who in 1964 formed the group that went on to win four Grammys and 13 Dove Awards, and his wife, Bonnie, are being sued for the Imperials name by a younger group that includes Armond's son, Jason Morales. The younger group - four singers who say they're now the "real" Imperials - claim that when the elder Morales signed an assignment of trademark in 2005, he transferred ownership of the name to the four singers in the current lineup. Morales has now published an open letter to his son saying he will no longer perform under the name Classic Imperials. CR