The campaign of former President Donald Trump has amassed a number of adversaries as Trump’s words and actions offend and shock a number of people. Now, the Trump campaign has earned the ire of the family of legendary musician Isaac Hayes, who have called upon Trump to stop using an iconic song.
On Sunday, the Trump campaign used the song “Hold On, I’m Comin’” at the end of the former president’s Atlanta rally. The song, written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter, was a hit for Sam Moore and his singing partner, Dave Prater — the R&B duo known as Sam & Dave — who are also famous for the song “Soul Man.” On Sunday, Isaac Hayes III, son of the late singer and songwriter, emphasized on X that his father’s estate did not authorize Trump to use the song and indicated that Hayes and the Primary Wave music publishing company “are taking legal action to stop the unauthorized use of this song.” Hayes III added that “Donald Trump represents the worst in honesty, integrity and class and [we] want no association with his campaign of hate and racism.”
Once again, the estate and family of @isaachayes DID NOT approve the use of “Hold on I’m coming’” written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter by Donald Trump tonight in Atlanta.
We and our partners at @primarywave are taking legal action to stop the unauthorized use of this song.…
— Isaac Hayes III (@IsaacHayes3) August 4, 2024
Isaac Hayes’ family and estate have fought for years against Trump using the song, first objecting to it being played during a 2022 appearance by Trump at an NRA convention held in Houston mere days after a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, killed 19 children and two teachers. At the time, Hayes’ official account on X, then known as Twitter, posted that they “DID NOT approve and would NEVER approve” of Trump using the song for that event and offered condolences to victims of mass shootings, including the school shooting in Uvalde.
The estate and family of Isaac Hayes DID NOT approve and would NEVER approve the use of “Hold on I’m coming’” by Sam and Dave by Donald Trump at this weekends @NRA convention.
Our condolences go out to the victims and families of #Uvalde and mass shooting victims everywhere.
— Isaac Hayes (@isaachayes) May 28, 2022
Trump and his campaign have a long history of using musical artists’ songs without permission. Including Hayes, at least two dozen artists or their families and estates have objected to Trump using their music at events. These include Phil Collins, Panic! at the Disco, Elton John, R.E.M., Adele, Pharrell Williams, the Rolling Stones and the estate of Prince, among others. Trump’s initial campaign launch in 2015 featured Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World,” leading Young to object and announce his support for Bernie Sanders in the 2016 race. When a reporter noted that Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop the Music” was played at a Trump rally in 2018, the singer tweeted “not for much longer…”
Not for much longer…me nor my people would ever be at or around one of those tragic rallies, so thanks for the heads up philip! https://t.co/dRgRi06GrJ
— Rihanna (@rihanna) November 5, 2018
In 2016, the groups Queen and Earth, Wind & Fire both objected to their songs being used at the Republican National Convention.
Another unauthorized use (September) at the Republican Convention, against our wishes – Earth, Wind & Fire https://t.co/GV48JxcbGz
— Earth, Wind & Fire (@EarthWindFire) July 20, 2016
The family of Tom Petty rejected Trump using Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down” in 2020, stating that “the late Tom Petty and his family firmly stand against racism and discrimination of any kind.”
— Tom Petty (@tompetty) June 21, 2020
The repeated use of Hayes’ music is not the first time that Trump has continued to use music after objections, and the former president often thrives on trying to anger those who don’t agree with his views. Given this history, Hayes’ family members may ultimately have to follow through on their promise of a legal fight against Trump to get him to respect their wishes.
