Isaac Hayes Estate Seeks $3M from Trump Over Campaign Rally Song Usage
Isaac Hayes' estate is demanding $3 million from Donald Trump's campaign for the unauthorized use of "Hold On, I'm Comin'" at political rallies. The song, written by Hayes and David Porter and performed by Sam & Dave, has allegedly been used 134 times at campaign events over the past two years.
Isaac Hayes at piano during performance
Isaac Hayes III, the late musician's son, shared a copyright infringement notice demanding the Trump campaign:
- Immediately stop using the song
- Remove all videos featuring the song
- Issue a public disclaimer by Friday
The estate's attorney, James Walker, states that the $3 million demand is actually a "heavily discounted" rate. If no resolution is reached, the family plans to seek $150,000 in damages per unauthorized use.
Hayes' estate joins a growing list of musicians who have demanded Trump stop using their music, including:
- Prince's estate
- Sinead O'Connor's estate
- Tom Petty's estate
- Brendon Urie (Panic! At the Disco)
- Johnny Marr (The Smiths)
- Celine Dion
Classical columns with historic building backdrop
The campaign continues to face legal challenges regarding unauthorized music use, with a federal judge recently issuing a preliminary injunction against Trump's campaign in the Isaac Hayes litigation.
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