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[CellarDweller]

#05 Exposé

Exposé is an American vocal group. Primarily consisting of lead vocalists Ann Curless, Jeanette Jurado, and Gioia Bruno, the group achieved much of their success between 1987 and 1993, becoming the first group to have four top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart from their debut album, including their 1988 #1 hit "Seasons Change". The group was popular in dance clubs, mainstream Top 40 and adult contemporary charts in the United States. The group actively toured and recorded music from 1985 to 1995, then retired from recording and public performances. In the early 90s, Kelly Moneymaker replaced Gioia Bruno, who left due to a cyst that was found on her vocal cords. Gioia's vocal cords healed by 2000, and in 2006 Exposé reformed.

In December 2007, Jurado, Bruno, Curless, Moneymaker, Paradise Artists, and Walking Distance Entertainment were named as defendants in a lawsuit by Crystal Entertainment & Filmworks (I & II). At issue was the trademark licensing agreement for the rights to use the name Exposé. On May 26, 2009, the court ruled in favor of the defendants on most counts, finding them only guilty of a contractual breach with the plaintiffs. The court also ruled that the plaintiffs did not prove ownership of the mark, and established that due to the line-up being the same since 1986 (with Moneymaker only replacing Bruno because of her illness) and clear identification of the group members on the albums and with touring, the defendants showed common-law proof of ownership and the "[consumer] goodwill associated with Exposé was with the members". The court awarded Jurado, Bruno, and Curless exclusive rights to the name Exposé as a trademark.

In their time together, Exposé scored three million-selling CDs, and 10 Top 20 hits, 8 of them going into the Top 10.