A D.C. Superior Court judge dismissed a breach of contract lawsuit against jazz musician Chuck Redd on Friday, ruling that the Kennedy Center lawsuit failed under Washington’s Anti-SLAPP law, which protects defendants from baseless suits meant to silence public speech on matters of public interest.
Redd canceled the Kennedy Center’s annual Christmas Eve Jazz Jam performance after the venue’s board voted to add President Donald Trump’s name to the facility. Kennedy Center leadership, led by President Richard Grenell, responded by sending Redd a letter demanding $1 million in damages and subsequently filing suit in March 2026.
Redd’s legal team argued that he was never contractually obligated to perform. The motion to dismiss, filed in March, included the contract provided by the Kennedy Center—which Redd never signed. “The lawsuit against Mr. Redd was political retribution, pure and simple, by the Trump Kennedy Center, and the Court correctly saw it as such in dismissing the case with prejudice,” said Lisa J. Banks, one of Redd’s attorneys, in a statement. Under the Anti-SLAPP law, Redd is entitled to recover his attorneys’ fees and costs.
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Kennedy Center lawsuit against Chuck Redd dismissed by judge
Redd, a drummer and vibraphonist who has performed with jazz legends including Dizzy Gillespie and Ray Brown, presided over the Kennedy Center’s holiday Jazz Jams since 2006. He told the Associated Press he is “very pleased with the judge’s ruling.” The Kennedy Center did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Sources
- U.S. News & World Report — confirmed the judge’s dismissal on Friday, the Anti-SLAPP law basis, and details of Redd’s career and the Christmas Eve performance cancellation
- Katz Banks Kumin LLP — provided official statement from Redd’s counsel, details of the lawsuit filing date, the $1 million damages demand, and confirmation that Redd never signed a contract
- Associated Press — reported Redd’s statement of satisfaction with the ruling and background on the Kennedy Center naming dispute
