Isaac Hayes Music Banned from Trump Campaign Rallies by Court Order
In a significant legal ruling, a federal judge has temporarily barred former President Donald Trump from playing the iconic Isaac Hayes song “Hold On, I’m Comin’” at his campaign rallies.
The decision, issued by Judge Thomas Thrash in Atlanta, Georgia, represents a critical step in a lawsuit filed by Hayes’ family seeking a permanent injunction against Trump’s use of the song.
Temporary Injunction Against Trump’s Use of Isaac Hayes Song
The temporary ruling prevents Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, from further use of the 1966 hit song, co-written by Hayes and David Porter and originally performed by the soul duo Sam & Dave.
The ruling will remain in effect while the court considers the broader lawsuit from Hayes’ family, which seeks a permanent injunction to stop Trump’s unauthorized use of the track at his political events.
The order, however, does not require Trump’s campaign to remove videos from the internet that feature the song being played at previous rallies.
This stipulation allows the videos to remain accessible while the case is being litigated.
Artists Push Back Against Unauthorized Use of Music
This lawsuit is the latest in a series of actions taken by artists who object to the unauthorized use of their music by political campaigns.
In recent months, several high-profile musicians, including Abba, Jack White of the White Stripes, Celine Dion, and Johnny Marr of The Smiths, have publicly demanded that Trump cease using their music at his events.
These artists have expressed frustration over their work being associated with political messages they do not endorse.
Isaac Hayes III, the son of the late soul legend who passed away in 2008, expressed his satisfaction with the court’s decision.
“We are very grateful and happy for the decision by Judge Thrash … I couldn’t ask for a better decision. I want this to serve as an opportunity for other artists to come forward that don’t want their music used by Donald Trump or other political entities,” Hayes III stated in an interview with Deadline.
Trump Campaign’s Response and Legal Defense
In response to the ruling, Ronald Coleman, a lawyer representing the Trump campaign, asserted that the campaign had already agreed to stop using the song before the court’s decision. “The campaign had already agreed to cease further use.
We’re very gratified that the court recognized the First Amendment issues at stake and didn’t order a takedown of existing videos,” Coleman told the New York Times.
Trump’s legal team has argued that the Hayes estate does not hold the license for the song and claimed that the campaign had permission to use it.
However, attorneys representing the Hayes family have refuted this claim, calling it “erroneous.”
According to the lawsuit, Trump has been using “Hold On, I’m Comin’” for at least four years and has allegedly violated copyright laws on at least 134 occasions.
This issue came to a head after the song was played at the 2022 National Rifle Association (NRA) convention in Houston, Texas, leading co-writer David Porter to express his disapproval on social media.
“Hell to the No! I did Not and would NOT approve of them using the song for any of his purposes!” Porter tweeted at the time.
Historical Context of Artists’ Objections to Political Use of Music
The conflict over the use of “Hold On, I’m Comin’” is not the first time an artist has objected to their music being used in a political context.
Interestingly, Sam Moore, one half of the duo Sam & Dave, performed “America the Beautiful” at Trump’s 2017 inauguration concert.
However, in 2008, Moore also demanded that then-Democratic candidate Barack Obama stop using his song “Soul Man” at campaign events, although he later performed the track for Obama at the White House in 2013.
As the lawsuit moves forward, the court’s final decision could have broader implications for the unauthorized use of music in political campaigns, particularly in how artists can protect their work from being associated with messages they do not support.