The estate of the soul singer Isaac Hayes has threatened former US president Donald Trump with legal action for continuing to include the late musician’s songs at his rallies against their wishes.
Over the course of Trump’s political career, he’s been repeatedly criticised for including featuring the music of a variety of different artists in his campaigns without permission – including just this weekend, when Céline Dion laid into him after her song My Heart Will Go On was heard playing at one of his rallies.
Following this, the family of Isaac Hayes – who died in 2008 – have also taken issue with the presidential hopeful for playing Hold On, I’m Comin’, a Sam & Dave song written by the singer and actor, at his rallies.
Isaac’s son, Isaac Hayes III, shared a legal letter on Sunday evening, revealing he and his family were planning to sue Trump for 134 counts of “copyright infringement”, claiming they had previously requested multiple times that the Republican candidate not play Hold On I’m Comin’ at his rallies.
He added that he wanted Trump to immediately cease playing Hold On I’m Comin’ at rallying events, as well as a payment of $3 million (around £2.35 million) in licensing fees.
Read the legal letter below:
Céline Dion and Isaac Hayes’ estate join an ever-growing list of artists who’ve opposed Trump using their music at his political events.
This year alone, the family of Sinéad O’Connor and The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr have publicly blasted Trump for featuring songs without permission at his rallies.
Back in 2020, the Rolling Stones threatened to sue Trump for playing their songs at his election rallies in spite of cease-and-desist directives.
Linkin Park sent their own cease-and-desist letter to Trump later that year, after he reposed a campaign-style video featuring the group’s track In The End.
Meanwhile, in 2019, Sharon Osbourne blasted the then-president for using the Black Sabbath track Crazy Train in a campaign video, and emphasised that Trump was “forbidden” from using her husband Ozzy’s music in future videos or at his rallies.
A year earlier, Rihanna issued a typically withering response after learning that her song Don’t Stop The Music was being played at pro-Trump political events.
She famously wrote on social media: “Me nor my people would ever be at or around one of those tragic rallies, so thanks for the heads up!”