Sweet Papa Crimbo Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Isaac Hayes, the pioneering singer, songwriter and musician whose relentless "Theme From Shaft" won Academy and Grammy awards, died Sunday, the Shelby County Sheriff's Office said. He was 65. A family member found Hayes unresponsive near a treadmill and he was pronounced dead about an hour later at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis, according to the sheriff's office. The cause of death was not immediately known. In the early 1970s, Hayes laid the groundwork for disco, for what became known as urban-contemporary music and for romantic crooners like Barry White. And he was rapping before there was rap. His career hit another high in 1997 when he became the voice of Chef, the sensible school cook and devoted ladies man on the animated TV show "South Park." The album "Hot Buttered Soul" made Hayes a star in 1969. His shaven head, gold chains and sunglasses gave him a compelling visual image. "Hot Buttered Soul" was groundbreaking in several ways: He sang in a "cool" style unlike the usual histrionics of big-time soul singers. He prefaced the song with "raps," and the numbers ran longer than three minutes with lush arrangements. "Jocks would play it at night," Hayes recalled in a 1999 Associated Press interview. "They could go to the bathroom, they could get a sandwich, or whatever." Next came "Theme From Shaft," a No. 1 hit in 1971 from the film "Shaft" starring Richard Roundtree. "That was like the shot heard round the world," Hayes said in the 1999 interview. At the Oscar ceremony in 1972, Hayes performed the song wearing an eye-popping amount of gold and received a standing ovation. TV Guide later chose it as No. 18 in its list of television's 25 most memorable moments. He won an Academy Award for the song and was nominated for another one for the score. The song and score also won him two Grammys. "The rappers have gone in and created a lot of hit music based upon my influence," he said. "And they'll tell you if you ask." Hayes was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. "I knew nothing about the business, or trends and things like that," he said. "I think it was a matter of timing. I didn't know what was unfolding." A self-taught musician, he was hired in 1964 by Stax Records of Memphis as a backup pianist, working as a session musician for Otis Redding and others. He also played saxophone. He began writing songs, establishing a songwriting partnership with David Porter, and in the 1960s they wrote such hits for Sam and Dave as "Hold On, I'm Coming" and "Soul Man." All this led to his recording contract. In 1972, he won another Grammy for his album "Black Moses" and earned a nickname he reluctantly embraced. Hayes composed film scores for "Tough Guys" and "Truck Turner" besides "Shaft." He also did the song "Two Cool Guys" on the "Beavis and Butt-Head Do America" movie soundtrack in 1996. Additionally, he was the voice of Nickelodeon's "Nick at Nite" and had radio shows in New York City (1996 to 2002) and then in Memphis. He was in several movies, including "It Could Happen to You" with Nicolas Cage, "Ninth Street" with Martin Sheen, "Reindeer Games" starring Ben Affleck and the blaxploitation parody "I'm Gonna Git You, Sucka." In the 1999 interview, Hayes described the South Park cook as "a person that speaks his mind; he's sensitive enough to care for children; he's wise enough to not be put into the 'whack' category like everybody else in town Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GtrPlyr Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 Another Soul legend gone . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bobbob1313 Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 Pretty sad. I lost some respect for him because of the whole South Park thing with scientology, but I always like him. Kind of weird that he was in a movie with Bernie Mac that's coming out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
embiggen Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 by Isaac. thanks for Shaft and The Chef! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Party @ the Moontower Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 Who's the black private dick That's a sex machine to all the chicks? SHAFT! Ya damn right! Who is the man that would risk his neck For his brother man? SHAFT! Can you dig it? Who's the cat that won't cop out When there's danger all about? SHAFT! Right On! They say this cat Shaft is a bad motherSHUT YOUR MOUTH! I'm talkin' 'bout Shaft. THEN WE CAN DIG IT! He's a complicated man But no one understands him but his womanJOHN SHAFT! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 RIP Isaac. I loved the man's music - there was a time when the Shaft soundtrack (yes, on 8 track) didn't leave the deck for a week at a time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 Aww. RIP, Isaac. Truck Turner is an awesome movie. Annie: So, this is your idea of a good night, huh. Get me drunk and then screw me.Truck Turner: Okay, okay, we'll get something to eat first. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
remphish1 Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 Isaac Hayes was the guest on Conan O'Brien at one of the tapings I attended. He was a really cool guy. He performed the song "Chef" to the music of Shaft which was hillarious which I will always remember him for. RIP Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stooka Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 Damn! RIP Isaac - One of the coolest ever. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
uncool2pillow Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
OOO Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Loved pretty much everything this guy did, from South Park to Shaft, but I think my favorite thing he did was Escape from New York. That is one bad ass motherfucker. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
yermom Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Earlier today, I was discussing the possibility of watching Shaft tonight. About an hour after that conversation, we saw the news of his passing. His "Walk On By" is so badass. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wilco Worshipper Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 What a great contribution to our world he was... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TCP Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 South Park hasn't been the same since he left.RIP Isaac Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DAngerer09 Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Kind of weird that he was in a movie with Bernie Mac that's coming out. Yeah, I'd be a little freaked out right now if I was Samuel L. Jackson, with 2 of his co-stars passing in the same week. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Earlier today, I was discussing the possibility of watching Shaft tonight. About an hour after that conversation, we saw the news of his passing. murderer. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubs101 Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 There'll be hell to pay for the Super Adventure Club Quote Link to post Share on other sites
yermom Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Aww. RIP, Isaac. Truck Turner is an awesome movie. Annie: So, this is your idea of a good night, huh. Get me drunk and then screw me.Truck Turner: Okay, okay, we'll get something to eat first.That one is available for streaming on Netflix. Shaft is too. murderer. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Damn..he was young too.... We used to listen to Hot Buttered Soul all the time when I was in college. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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