NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Who knew the going price for a yodel was more than $590?

Internet portal Yahoo! paid Wylie Gustafson $590 to sing its trademark yodel in 1996, but Gustafson thought his tune was only for regional advertisements.

When the cowboy from Dusty, Wash., heard his voice on nationwide broadcasts, such as the Super Bowl, he thought his yodel was worth a little more.

Gustafson filed a federal lawsuit in Los Angeles last week, claiming Yahoo! continued to use his yodel without compensating him fairly.

The company settled the case Monday, saying "while both parties had a reasonable basis for their beliefs, as soon as Yahoo! learned of the suit, the company responded promptly and fairly."

Yahoo! (YHOO: down $0.10 to $14.04, Research, Estimates) did not disclose the terms of the settlement, but said it will continue to use the yodel in advertising and marketing campaigns.

"They wanted to do the right thing and pay for a vocalization that has become a worldwide trademark,'' Gustafson said Monday from his ranch in a small town south of Spokane.

Gustafson, 40, also performs around the country with the band he founded, Wylie & the Wild West.  

-- from staff and wire reports