An Atlanta judge has ordered Donald Trump and his campaign to stop using the song “Hold On, I’m Coming,” after the family of one of the song’s writers filed a lawsuit against the former president over its use.
The estate of singer and composer Isaac Hayes Jr. filed a lawsuit last month accusing Trump, his campaign and several of his allies of copyright infringement and seeking damages.
U.S. District Judge Thomas Thrash ruled that Trump must stop using the song, but he denied a request to force the campaign to remove existing videos featuring the song.
Hayes, who died in 2008 at age 65, and David Porter co-wrote “Hold On, I’m Coming,” a 1966 hit for the soul duo Sam and Dave.
Ronald Coleman, an attorney for Trump and his campaign, told reporters after the hearing that the campaign had already decided not to use the song in the future.
Photo: Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a rally at the 1st Summit Arena at the Cambria County War Memorial in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, on August 30, 2024. An Atlanta judge has ordered Donald Trump and his campaign to stop using the song “Hold On, I’m Coming” after the family of one of the song’s co-writers filed a lawsuit against the former president over its use.
Singer, songwriter, actor and musician Isaac Hayes Jr. is shown performing on stage during a “live” concert on February 11, 2007. Hayes died in 2008
“The campaign has no interest in upsetting or hurting anyone. If the Hayes family feels like it hurts or upsets them, that’s fine. We’re not going to force the issue.”
Coleman added that it was important that the judge agreed that at this point in the case it would be exceeding its authority to order the campaign to remove existing videos.
Hayes’ son, Isaac Hayes III, told reporters he was “very grateful and happy” with the judge’s decision.
“I want this to be an opportunity for other artists to come forward and not want their music used by Donald Trump or other political entities, and we want them to continue to advocate for artists’ rights and copyright,” he said.
Trump has been using the song at his rallies for several years.
When Porter heard in 2022 that Trump had sung “Hold On, I’m Coming” at an NRA rally, he tweeted, “Hell to the NO!” But Sam Moore, of Sam and Dave, had sung “America the Beautiful” at a concert leading up to Trump’s inauguration, and in an affidavit Trump and his campaign filed with the court over the weekend, he opposed the measures sought by Hayes’ estate.
Tuesday’s ruling was a preliminary ruling and the trial is ongoing.
The lawsuit filed by the estate of Isaac Hayes Jr. and Isaac Hayes Enterprises states that Hayes and Porter owned all rights to the song, including the copyright, and that Isaac Hayes Enterprises is the current owner.
The lawsuit says Trump and his campaign began using the song in 2020 as “outro” music for his performances and campaign events and have used it at least 133 times since then.
Universal Music Group and Warner Chappell Music, publishers working on behalf of Isaac Hayes Enterprises, sent a letter to the Trump campaign in 2020 asking them to stop their work.
Several artists and their heirs have objected to Trump’s use of their songs at campaign events.
Just last week, members of the Swedish pop group ABBA asked Trump to stop using their music and videos at his campaign rallies, according to the band’s record label.
The calls came after ABBA hits such as “The Winner Takes It All,” “Money, Money, Money” and “Dancing Queen” were played at a July 27 rally in Minnesota between Trump and his running mate JD Vance, accompanied by videos.
Several artists and their heirs have objected to Trump using their songs at campaign events. Just last week, the Swedish band ABBA asked Trump to stop using their music and videos at his campaign rallies.
“We, along with the members of ABBA, have discovered that videos have been released in which ABBA’s music has been used at Trump events and have requested that such use be immediately removed and taken offline,” Universal Music, the band’s record label, said in a statement.
It was stated that no permission or license had been granted to the Trump campaign.
Garage rock musician Jack White also recently lashed out at Trump’s campaign for posting a music video of a song by The White Stipes — the band he was a member of until 2011 — and writing on Instagram, “Oh… don’t even think about using my music, fascists.” White even threatened to sue the former president.
Even after the Republican presidential candidate’s campaign rally in Bozeman, Montana last month, which featured a video of Celine Dion singing her signature power ballad “My Heart Will Go On,” her team released a statement saying the singer did not approve of the use of her song.
Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna and other iconic singers and bands, including Phil Collins, Pharrell, Neil Young, Panic! at the Disco and Guns N’ Roses, also objected to Trump’s use of their songs before the 2020 election.