Left: Grammy award winning musician Isaac Hayes in May of 2000 (Scott Weiner/MediaPunch/IPX). Right: Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, left, is introduced alongside Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, during the Republican National Convention, July 16, 2024, in Milwaukee (AP Photo/Paul Sancya).
A federal judge in Georgia granted the estate of songwriter Isaac Haye an emergency hearing to address the allegations that presidential candidate Donald Trump continually used the 1966 song “Hold On, I’m Comin”” at campaign events without permission.
The Hayes estate demanded $3 million for Trump’s unauthorized use of the hit song via a cease desist letter earlier this month. Isaac Hayes Enterprises LLC said the song was played over a hundred times at Trump rallies since 2022 — always without the legal right to do so. The estate also said that the campaign “made no meaningful effort” even to try to obtain a license for usage of the song.
Hayes’ son, Isaac Hayes III, posted on Aug. 10, about a Trump rally in Bozeman, Montana, the prior day.
“Today, on the anniversary of my father Isaac Hayes’ death we have repeatedly asked Donald Trump, the RNC and his representatives not to use ‘Hold on I’m Comin” written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter during campaign rallies but yet again, in Montana they used it,” Hayes III wrote.
Hayes III also commented, “Donald Trump represents the worst in integrity and class with his disrespect and sexual abuse of Women and racist rhetoric.”
Six days later, Isaac Hayes Enterprises LLC filed a $3 million lawsuit against Trump on alleging that the former president “unlawfully profited off [Hayes’] reputation and identity” by using the hit song at rallies in violation of federal law. The complaint alleged 134 counts of copyright infringement and demanded that Trump make good on the unpaid licensing fees.
More from Law&Crime: Trump Might Really Be ‘Livin’ on the Edge’ if He Thinks He Can Keep Using Aerosmith Songs at Rallies
U.S. District Judge Judge Thomas W. Thrash Jr., a Bill Clinton appointee, granted the plaintiff’s motion for an emergency hearing, and scheduled the appearance for Sept. 3 at 10 a.m.
“There will be no live-streaming of the hearing,” the docket order noted.
Hayes III posted Saturday that Trump, the RNC, Trump for President Inc. 2024, Turning Point USA, and the NRA are required to appear in court for the hearing.
At the hearing, the court will consider the plaintiff’s request for a preliminary injunction ordering Trump to stop all conduct referenced in the complaint. In the filing, the Hayes estate noted:
Specifically, and ironically, Trump has spent a lifetime and well over 60 years protecting, expanding and building the Trump name goodwill and brand that his father left him, but refuses to honor, respect and pay for the name, brand, goodwill, intellectual property and business that was left to the Hayes family by their father.
Trump has been widely known to use popular music without authorization during his campaigns for president. This summer, Celine Dion called Trump out for playing “My Heart Will Go On” without permission. Artists including Beyoncé, Foo Fighters, Neil Young, Aerosmith, Tom Petty, the Rolling Stones, Prince, Linkin Park, Guns N’ Roses, and Journey have made similar claims that Trump used their music without permission.
In an email Monday, attorney James L. Walker, Jr., who represents the Hayes Estate and Hayes III, said his clients were grateful that the court granted the motion to request an emergency hearing.
“We look forward to seeing Mr. Trump and his representatives in Federal Court on September 3rd,” said Walker. “Thou Shalt Not Steal!”
Representatives for Trump did not immediately respond to request for comment.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
