Isaac Hayes Estate Wants $3 Million from Trump for Unauthorized Music Use

The former president's been playing Sam & Dave's 1966 hit "Hold On, I'm Coming" at his rallies over the past few years

BY Kaelen BellPublished Aug 13, 2024

We know plenty about Obama's alleged music taste, but Trump's musical vibe is a little harder to read. One thing we do know is that he (or someone on his team) is apparently a fan of Sam & Dave's 1966 hit "Hold On, I'm Coming," which has been played at his rallies over the past few years.

Now, the estate of the late, legendary Isaac Hayes, who co-wrote "Hold On, I'm Coming," is suing the former (and hopefully not future) president for the unauthorized use of the song.

"We demand the cessation of use, removal of all related videos, a public disclaimer, and payment of $3 million in licensing fees by August 16, 2024," reads a statement shared today by Hayes's son Isaac Hayes III. "Failure to comply will result in further legal action."

The complaint cites 134 unauthorized uses of the song, and adds that the $3 million price tag is "a very discounted fee" compared to the $150,000 per use the family says they'll charge if they decide to litigate. 

In an unfortunate twist, the surviving half of Sam & Dave, Sam Moore, performed at Trump's inauguration in 2017.

Trump has already been sued for illegally using Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World" and "Devil's Sidewalk," plus Eddy Grant's "Electric Avenue." This past week, Celine Dion's team denounced Trump's use of "My Heart Will Go On" at a rally, saying "...and really, that song?"

See Isaac Hayes III's statement below. 

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