Ed Sheeran testifies he 'can't read music,' breaks out guitar

Ed Sheeran arrives at Manhattan federal court for copyright lawsuit

Ed Sheeran arrives at Manhattan federal court Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Sheeran is being sued by the heirs of Ed Townsend, co-writer of Marvin Gaye's 'Let's Get It On,' for copyright infringement in his 2014 song ‘Thinking Out Loud.’ (FNTV)

Ed Sheeran put his musical skills on display in a New York federal courtroom Thursday.

About an hour into his testimony, Sheeran's lawyer, Ilene Farkas, asked him how he came to write "Thinking Out Loud," the song that's the subject of a lawsuit, a decade ago.

Sheeran reached back, grabbed his guitar from a rack behind the witness stand and explained that writing a song was second nature to him. Sheeran claimed he wrote 10 songs last weekend.

Although the musician has won his share of awards, he leaned back and told the jury, "I’m not the world’s most talented guitar player."

ED SHEERAN TESTIFIES IN 'THINKING OUT LOUD' JURY TRIAL

Ed Sheeran looks off in the distance wearing a dark jacket and blue tie with a crisp white button down outside the federal court house in New York

Ed Sheeran is defending himself in a copyright infringement lawsuit in New York. He is accused of violating the copyright of Marvin Gaye's song "Let's Get It On" in his own track, "Thinking Out Loud." (Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg / Getty Images)

He hit the microphone, apologized to the jury and began singing "Thinking Out Loud."

"When your legs don’t work like they used to," he began. Sheeran sang a few more bars before abruptly placing his guitar back on the rack. And his attorney advised the judge it was a good time to adjourn for the week.

On Thursday, Sheeran explained how he became interested in music after joining a church choir with his mother when he was 4.

Sheeran appeared self-deprecating as he told his story, saying: "I can't read music. I'm not classically trained in anything."

An unexpected medical emergency interrupted testimony in the copyright infringement case.

Plaintiff Kathryn Townsend Griffin collapsed in court while one of her expert witnesses was being cross-examined.

Griffin is suing Sheeran on behalf of her father Ed Townsend's estate for violating the copyright of Marvin Gaye's song "Let's Get It On," which Townsend co-wrote.

Ed Sheeran arrived at federal court in New York Tuesday, April 25, 2023. (Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg / Getty Images)

At about 4:15 p.m., Townsend Griffin appeared to faint after struggling to stand straight. Medical personnel and security were called to the courtroom. All present were told to remain in the room.

"Ed turned around as she was being carried out, and he looked concerned. He looked worried for her," a witness told Entertainment Tonight.

"The courtroom was in shock. No one was allowed to leave. It was total chaos when it first happened."

Presiding Judge Louis L. Stanton allowed cross-examination to resume five minutes later.

At the end of the day, Stanton inquired about Townsend Griffin's health. Security revealed she had been taken to a hospital.

Townsend Griffin's attorneys say she has a pre-existing medical condition that could have contributed to her issue in court.

Kathryn Townsend Griffin in a khaki colored jacket and black blazer and sweater exits a revolving door at the New York Federal Court house with lawyer Ben Crump behind her

The daughter of singer-songwriter Ed Townsend, Kathryn Townsend Griffin, appeared to collapse in court Wednesday. (Kena Betancur/AFP / Getty Images)

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Earlier in the day, before court proceedings began, Townsend Griffin spoke with the press and shared her appreciation for the jurors sacrificing their time to serve. She noted that the previous day of testimony was long, but that they were able to get through it. Townsend Griffin also stressed that this was not a money grab.

The lawsuit alleges Sheeran's hit song "Thinking Out Loud," released in 2017, directly rips off "Let's Get It On."

Ed Sheeran walks out of court in New York with a bodyguard and in front of his lawyers wearing a dark suit with a blue tie

Ed Sheeran testified in court Tuesday. The singer, 32, denied his song "Thinking Out Loud" copied "Let's Get It On," co-written by Ed Townsend. (Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency / Getty Images)

Sheeran also testified earlier in the week.

On Tuesday in court, a video showed the English singer-songwriter performing a mashup of his song and Gaye's on stage during a performance. Sheeran noted it was "quite simple to weave in and out of songs" that are in the same key.

"I’d be an idiot to stand on a stage in front of 20,000 people and do that," Sheeran said about the accusation he copied songs.

The trial is expected to last two weeks.

Ed Sheeran in a black t-shirt plays guitar and sings on stage in Los Angeles

Ed Sheeran won a copyright lawsuit against him last year. (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic / Getty Images)

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This is not the first time Sheeran has been sued for copyright infringement. Last year, Sheeran won a 2017 lawsuit alleging his song "Shape of You" copied part of artist Sami Switch's song "Oh Why."

After his victory, Sheeran expressed his frustration with the situation in a video posted to Twitter.

"Whilst we’re obviously happy with the result, I feel like claims like this are way too common now and have become a culture where a claim is made with the idea that a settlement will be cheaper than taking it to court, even if there is no basis for the claim. It’s really damaging to the songwriting industry," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.