Sunday, August 10, 2008

Oscar Winner Isaac Hayes Has Passed Away (1942-2008)


From CNN.com:


Soul legend Isaac Hayes dies

CNN) -- Soul singer and arranger Isaac Hayes, who won Grammy awards and an Oscar for the theme from the 1971 action film "Shaft," has died, sheriff's officials in Memphis, Tennessee, reported Sunday.


Singer Issac Hayes seen performing in the U.K. last year. Hayes was found dead Sunday at age 65.

more photos » Relatives found Hayes, 65, unconscious in his home next to a still-running treadmill, said Steve Shular, a spokesman for the Shelby County Sheriff's Department.

Paramedics attempted to revive him and took him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 2 p.m., the sheriff's department said.

No foul play is suspected, the agency said in a written statement.

Hayes was a longtime songwriter and arranger for Stax Records in Memphis, playing in the studio's backup band and crafting tunes for artists such as Otis Redding and Sam and Dave in the 1960s. See photos of singer Isaac Hayes »

He released his first solo album in 1967, and his 1969 follow-up, "Hot Buttered Soul," became a platinum hit.

In 1971, the theme from "Shaft" topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks and won an Academy Award for best original theme song. The song and the movie score also won Grammy awards for best original score and movie theme.

Hayes won a third Grammy for pop instrumental performance with the title track to his 1972 "Black Moses" album.

Don't Miss
iReport.com: Your memories of Isaac Hayes
From the late 1990s through 2006, Hayes provided the voice of "Chef" for Comedy Central's raunchy animated series "South Park," as well as numerous songs.

The role introduced him to a new generation of fans, but he left after the show lampooned his own religion, the Church of Scientology.

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. In a CNN interview at the time, Hayes credited his success to "adjusting and constantly evolving, expanding and trying to stay as young as I can."

The new generation of popular musicians, he said, "could use a little more substance like we had in the day."

"They're standing on our shoulders. Some of them don't realize [it] because they sample me so much," he said.

Hayes credited his role on "South Park" with expanding his fan base, and said that he had almost passed on the job.

"I started to walk out. I thought it was a Disney thing. I [had] never heard of this thing," he said. But his agent persuaded him to tape some episodes.

"Toward the opening I started having trepidations -- 'Oh my god, what have I done? I've ruined my career.' But when it aired, the ratings went through the roof," he said.


A 1992 visit to the royal family in Ghana was a life-changing experience for Hayes, he said.

"I went back on speaking engagements and encouraged African-Americans to go to Africa [to] interact socially, culturally and/or economically," he said



RIP, Mr. Hayes. Thank you for the music.

3 comments:

Brian said...

Thank you Rikyrah...

I am pretty ill right now and have sleep deprivation issues... I was hoping you grabbed this story.

He was a Soul giant.

I hope heaven slows its roll though... too much going on in such a short time.

I was happy on Thursday...looking forward to the Olympics...and it just seems like this week turned into a disaster for me. Bush made sure that I wouldn't be able to enjoy the Olympics... with all the trouble he has been causing around the world.

LISA VAZQUEZ said...

Hello there!

It is a shame that Isaac Hayes has passed away...and a day after black people all over the world were just bracing themselves after hearing about the passing of Bernie McCullough...

At the height of his career, Isaac Hayes represented a different type of black masculinity. He had a lot of mystery about him. Many women found him to be extremely sexy, although he was not the "all-American pretty boy type"...

I pray that he is resting with God. He was a legend who did not make his people ashamed with any scandals....

Peace, blessings and DUNAMIS!
Lisa

*** Please feel welcome to stop by my blog any time and jump into some deep conversations!!

Anonymous said...

Hey was totally COOL; Also he co-wrote and played keyboard on Sam and Dave's Soul Man and Hold On I'm Comin'