Isaac Hayes

Isaac Hayes' symphonic soul records, together with his dramatic stage presence, exerted a profound influence upon soul, funk, disco and rap music. Early in his career he worked in commercial rhythm 'n' blues as a songwriter, session musician and arranger at Stax Records. Later, he became a voice-over artist, actor and radio host. His work has been heavily sampled., Born in Covington on Aug. 20, 1942, Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. moved to Memphis at an early age, attended Manassas High School, and graduated in 1962. He was working in a meatpacking plant and playing piano on club dates with saxophonist Floyd Newman when Newman brought him to Stax as a potential replacement session pianist for Booker T. Jones. Hayes' first session was for Otis Redding in 1964., At Stax, Hayes met aspiring songwriter David Porter. Together, they wrote songs for the Bar-Kays, Carla Thomas, the Emotions, Homer Banks, Sam and Dave, the Soul Children, and many others. They also arranged and produced many of ; the sessions. Their work included eight successive Top 20 R&B hits for Sam and Dave, including “You Don't Know,” “Hold on, I'm Coming” and “Soul Man.”, Hayes began recording under his own name in 1968. Up to that point, R&B and soul albums usually contained singles-length songs, but Hayes' second album, Hot Buttered Soul, comprised just four extended set-piece songs and employed a full orchestra. On later albums, Hayes explored African-American cultural issues, paving the way for Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye and others to redefine the soul album. Hayes also changed the presentation of African-American music, wearing gold chains, fur, leather and sunglasses. “The chains at one time represented bondage,” Hayes told Robert Gordon. "Now it [is] a symbol of power.”, In 1971, Hayes began work on the soundtrack for “Shaft,” a movie written and directed by and starring African-Americans. Hayes' title song, memorable for its wah-wah guitar and 16th-note hi-hat ride, established the movie's tempo and edginess. The soundtrack won three Grammy awards. Hayes was also the first African-American to win the Oscar for Best Music, Original Song. Edited down, the “Theme From Shaft” became a No. 1 pop and R&B single., Hayes' involvement as headliner was crucial to the success of Wattstax, a concert and charity event marking the fifth anniversary of the 1967 Watts riots that left 34 dead. Staged at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, it was filmed for release by Columbia Pictures and recorded as a double LP at Stax., By the time Wattstax appeared, Stax was encountering financial problems. Personally in debt, Hayes sued to be released from his Stax contract. His subsequent records embraced disco music, but with limited success., Branching into television, Hayes had numerous credits, but was best known as the voice of Chef in Comedy Central's animated show “South Park.”, Among many honors, Isaac Hayes was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005. He died in Shelby County on Aug. 10, 2008.