{"id":86393,"date":"2021-08-18T12:46:43","date_gmt":"2021-08-18T17:46:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/themetalden.com\/?p=86393"},"modified":"2021-08-18T13:18:35","modified_gmt":"2021-08-18T18:18:35","slug":"rita-haney-ends-dimebags-endorsement-deal-with-dean-guitars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themetalden.com\/?p=86393","title":{"rendered":"Rita Haney Ends DIMEBAG’s Endorsement Deal With DEAN GUITARS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Dean Guitars<\/strong> CEO Evan Rubinson<\/strong> has responded to the lawsuit filed against the company by the estate of late PANTERA<\/strong> guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Monday (August 16),\u00a0Rita Haney<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0Dimebag<\/strong>‘s longtime girlfriend and trustee of his estate, announced that she was cutting ties with\u00a0Dean Guitars<\/strong>\u00a0after 17 years with the company. She also revealed that she had filed a lawsuit against\u00a0Dean<\/strong>, alleging fraud, breach of written agreement and false endorsement, among other claims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a statement posted on\u00a0Dimebag<\/strong>‘s web site and social media,\u00a0Haney<\/strong>\u00a0wrote: “It became clear to me that\u00a0Dimebag<\/strong>‘s relationship with\u00a0Dean Guitars<\/strong>\u00a0had come to an end when the CEO of\u00a0Dean Guitars<\/strong>\u00a0told me that\u00a0Dime<\/strong>\u00a0has been dead for 16 years, and then could not make the money they once did…and then continued on to tell me I should go somewhere else\u2026 Well…we will!”\u00a0Haney<\/strong>\u00a0went on to accuse\u00a0Dean<\/strong>\u00a0of continuing to promote and sell\u00a0Dimebag<\/strong>-related guitars and merchandise even after the expiration of their endorsement deal. She also blasted\u00a0Evan Rubinson<\/strong>\u00a0as “incredibly disrespectful and often times belligerent to the legacy” of\u00a0Dimebag<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“Moving forward, our goal will be to ensure the rightful and respectful celebration of Dime<\/strong>‘s legacy and the indelible mark he and his music made on this world,” Haney<\/strong> added. “It is with absolute conviction that we say that this can no longer happen whilst continuing to partner with Dean Guitars<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier today, Evan Rubinson<\/strong> released the following statement: “We have always treated Dime<\/strong> and his brother Vinnie<\/strong> with the utmost respect and loyalty. We have enjoyed a long-standing, 17-year relationship with Dime<\/strong> and Vinnie<\/strong>, and continue that relationship with Vinnie<\/strong>‘s estate on the ddrum<\/strong> side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We are shocked and saddened to see the actions that Ms. Haney<\/strong> has taken after both the Abbott<\/strong> brothers have tragically passed away, and we wish her the best in her future endeavors. However, it is unfortunate that Ms. Haney<\/strong> has allowed her unrealistic demands and accusations to dictate the future of the Dimebag Darrell<\/strong> legacy in the absence of Dime<\/strong>‘s immediate family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Dean Guitars<\/strong>\u00a0is proud to have played a role in ensuring\u00a0Dime<\/strong>‘s legacy not only survived, but thrived over the past 17 years. We have stood by the estate through good and bad.\u00a0Ms. Haney<\/strong>‘s claims \u2014 across the board \u2014 are baseless, without any merit, and not grounded in reality. We will allow the full truth to come out as the legal process takes its course.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Randy “Rocket” Cody<\/a><\/strong>, creator\/editor of TheMetalDen.com<\/strong> adds:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I urge a metal and rock industry wide boycott of Dean Guitars immediately. The disgusting attitude this company has had towards the Abbott music legacy is definitely a “vulgar display”… so turn your back on them now for Dime and Vinnie!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dimebag<\/strong>‘s affiliation with Dean<\/strong> goes back to when he was 14. He played Dean<\/strong> guitars throughout PANTERA<\/strong>‘s heyday in the mid-1990s. He switched to Washburn Guitars<\/strong> late in the decade, a time when Dean Guitars<\/strong> had practically disappeared from the American market. But when Dimebag<\/strong>‘s contract with Washburn<\/strong> ended, he inked an endorsement deal with Dean<\/strong>, which Elliot Rubinson<\/strong> had revived. Dimebag<\/strong> died three weeks later at the age of 38.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dimebag<\/strong>\u00a0and his brother\u00a0Vinnie Paul<\/strong>\u00a0co-founded\u00a0PANTERA<\/strong>. When\u00a0PANTERA<\/strong>\u00a0broke up in 2003, they formed\u00a0DAMAGEPLAN<\/strong>. On December 8, 2004, while performing with\u00a0DAMAGEPLAN<\/strong>\u00a0at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio,\u00a0Dimebag<\/strong>\u00a0was shot and killed onstage by an MK ULTRA <\/strong>victim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buddy “Blaze” Webster<\/strong>, who passed away yesterday, was a childhood friend of Darrell \u201cDimebag\u201d Abbott<\/strong> and played an instrumental role in the creation of the Pantera axeman’s iconic Dean From Hell\u00a0electric guitar<\/a>, previously asked a court to reinstall his lawsuit against Dean Guitars, which he claims stole his copyrighted design. More on that story HERE<\/a><\/strong> and HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Report: DIMEBAG, The Witches Sabbath & MK Ultra Killing Machines https:\/\/t.co\/J376IuAGCZ<\/a> @TheMetalDen<\/a> @dimebagdarrell<\/a> @Pantera<\/a> @ZakkWyldeBLS<\/a> @ThisDayInMETAL<\/a> @MetalNation247<\/a> @CFHPTX @UrMidnight<\/a> @cfhnyy<\/a> @EndOfCentury<\/a> @tessquiroga<\/a> #TruthForDimebag<\/a> #RIP<\/a> #FortWorth<\/a> #Texas<\/a> #CFH<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Qb3snSwyS6<\/a><\/p>— Randy Rocket Cody (@rocketmetalden) December 9, 2017<\/a><\/blockquote>