Robert Lee Sullivan

SULLIVAN, Robert Lee “Bob” Age 59 of Nashville, passed away at home on Thursday, September 15, 2011, after a courageous fourteen-month battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. He was born December 18, 1951 in Anna, Illinois. He is survived by his wife of 19 years, Catherine Cate Sullivan; mother, Wilma Jean Rion Sullivan and brother, James Terry Sullivan (Barbara), of Makanda, Illinois; father-in-law, George Harrison Cate, Jr., sisters-in-law, Carolyn Cate James (Fred) and Emily Cate Tidwell (Crom), and brother-in-law, George Harrison Cate III (Amy), all of Nashville. Also survived by nieces and nephews, Kimberly Sullivan Ecker (Bill), Robert Terry Sullivan (Amanda) and Terry Eugene Sullivan of Makanda, Illinois; Carolyn Cate Tidwell, Blythe Douglas Cate, Emily Warner Tidwell, Oscar Cromwell Tidwell IV, all of Nashville; great nephews and nieces, Garrison Trent Ecker, Bryson Grant Ecker, Lauren Emily Ecker, and Kaitlyn Marie Sullivan, all of Makanda, Illinois. He was preceded in death by his father, Robert Eugene Sullivan. Bob graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1974 (B.A., magna cum laude), where he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, and Vanderbilt University Law School in 1977 (J.D.). He was admitted to the Tennessee Bar in 1977 and admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, U.S. Tax Court, U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court. He was a partner at Loeb & Loeb LLP where his practice focused on entertainment transactions primarily in the music field, as well as litigation and mediation in entertainment and intellectual property areas. He represented major recording artists, songwriters, publishing companies and record companies including Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, The Carter Family, B.B. King, Thompson Square, The Fray, Sean Penn, Peter Frampton, Lynyrd Skynnard, EMI Publishing, John Prine, Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter. He taught Intellectual Property and Copyright Law at both Nashville School of Law and Belmont University. His first love was playing music in his many bands over the years as a lead singer and rhythm guitarist. Visitation with the family will be at West End United Methodist Church Saturday, September 24, at 10:00a.m., followed by a Memorial Service at 11:00 a.m. Additional visitation with the family will follow the service from 12noon to 1p.m.. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Vanderbilt University School of Law, Development & Alumni Relations, 131 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203, Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville, 211 Commerce Street, Suite 100, Nashville, TN 37201, West End United Methodist Church, 2200 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN, 37203, or the charity of one’s choice. Arrangements under the direction of Marshall Donnelly Combs Funeral Home, Nashville, Tennessee.