Donald Trump is guilty of many crimes (starting with at least 34 felonies, to be precise), one of which is questionable taste in music. We say “questionable,” not “bad,” because the song selections at his campaign rallies are often fine in themselves, but the former president has a nasty habit of playing them without permission from the copyright holders involved. The latest example: He just received a cease-and-desist letter from the heirs of Isaac Hayes, insisting that Trump stop playing “Hold On, I’m Coming” immediately – and demanding $3 million in damages for all the times he has played the song thus far.
Atlanta-based attorney James Walker sent a strongly worded letter on Aug. 11, slamming Trump and his campaign for playing the Stax Records classic “without permission from the copyright holder, despite our client’s repeated requests not to engage in such unlawful use.” The complaint includes an appendix with a “non-exhaustive list” of the “over one hundred times” Trump has played “Hold On, I’m Coming” at his rallies since 2022, and notes: “As we were preparing this letter, there was an additional use in Montana just two nights ago, apparently even with your office knowing that you had not obtained permission.” (Read more Rolling Stone A report from the Montana Caucus, which also featured prominent use of Cats (The song “Memory” is here.)
The musician's son, Isaac Hayes III, denounced the Trump campaign on Twitter, writing: “Donald Trump represents the worst of integrity and class with his disrespect, sexual mistreatment of women, and racist rhetoric. We will now address this matter with great urgency.”
Hayes, who died in 2008, wrote “Hold On, I'm Coming” with his frequent writing partner David Porter. It was recorded by Stax duo Sam and Dave, who took it to the top of the album charts. Billboard“The Soul” was a chart-topping R&B song in 1966, and has become one of the most beloved songs in soul music history. Politicians have tried to use the song before and gotten into hot water — there was even a brief spat in 2008 between duo Sam Moore and then-candidate Barack Obama over its use. (They later worked it out.) Hayes and his family have challenged other politicians to use songs they’ve written, too. They clearly don’t really want candidates using his music for political purposes, but Trump keeps doing it anyway. That’s kind of his personality.
Trump has made the unauthorized use of popular music a hallmark of his political career. Just last week, Celine Dion asked him to stop playing her song “My Heart Will Go On.” He has received similar complaints in the past for using songs by Tom Petty, Rihanna, the Rolling Stones, the Village People, John Fogerty, Aerosmith, Linkin Park, Journey, and others. In the realm of music copyright, as in many other areas, he seems to believe he is above the law.
The Hayes estate’s letter goes on to explain that when they order Trump to pay $3 million for all these unauthorized plays, it is actually “a very substantial discount to the normal licensing fees associated with this large number of multiple uses. The normal fees for these violations would be 10 times that if we were to sue, starting at $150,000 per use.”
The estate is demanding that Trump respond by Aug. 16, five days after the letter was dated. The estate says it will then take the matter to trial.
