Isaac Hayes - Biography

Last Editor: sweet_pea_				Isaac Hayes Biography -   Name : Isaac Hayes Profession : Actor/Singer/Lyricist Birth Details : born 20 August 1942, in Covington, Tennessee Died : August 10, 2008 (aged 65) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. Occupation(s) : Singer-songwriter, arranger, record producer, and actor Genre(s) : R&B, funk, soul, disco Instrument(s) : Piano, keyboards, vocals, saxophone Voice type(s) : Bass Years active : 1962 – 2008 Label(s) : Enterprise/Stax, ABC, Columbia Records, Point Blank Associated acts : David Porter, Booker T. & the MGs, The Bar-Kays

Isaac Hayes Trivia -

Has been a frequent songwriting collaborator with David Porter since 1962. His performance as "Chef" in the TV series "South Park" (1997) was supposed to be a one-time event, but audience reaction was so positive, "Chef" became a regular character. Filed for bankruptcy in 1976. First African American composer to win an Oscar for Best Original Song (1972) for The Theme from Shaft (1971). Was originally considered for the role of Shaft (1971); however, the lead went to Richard Roundtree. However, he got the lead role in Truck Turner (1974), which is the only film that he ever played such a part. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on June 9, 2005 in New York City alongside Robert B. Sherman, Richard M. Sherman, Bill Withers, John Fogerty, Steve Cropper and longtime collaborator David Porter. Is named among others as inspiration for the Massive Attack album "Blue Lines". His character, "Chef", was killed off "South Park" (1997) after his resignation for religious reasons. Was pronounced dead at 2:08 pm at Baptist Memorial Medical Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee on August 10, 2008. Friend of Aretha Franklin. Suffered a stroke in January 2006.

Isaac Hayes Detailed Biography -

Isaac Lee Hayes (born 20 August 1942, in Covington, Tennessee) is an actor, and influential soul singer, songwriter, musician and arranger. Hayes began his recording career in 1962, soon playing saxophone for The Mar-Keys. After writing a string of hit songs at Stax Records with songwriting partner David Porter, Hayes released Presenting Isaac Hayes. A moderate success, the album was recorded immediately following a wild party. The top-selling Hot Buttered Soul (1969) was a breakthrough album, and established his image (gold jewelry, sunglasses, etc) which eventually became a template for much of the fashion of gangsta rap and similar trends in the 1980s and 90s. Hayes' biggest hit was 1971's soundtrack to Shaft. The title song won an Oscar (the first for an African American composer), and clearly presaged disco. Black Moses (1971) became almost as successful. By 1975, Hayes left Stax Records and formed his own label called Hot Buttered Soul Records. A series of unsuccessful albums led to Hayes' bankruptcy in 1976. The late 1970s saw a major comeback for Hayes, following the release of A Man and a Woman (1977, with Dionne Warwick). In spite of moderate success as a singer, Hayes' records did not sell very well. Hayes has also forged a career as an actor in TV shows and feature films. When Shaft was being filmed, Hayes wanted the lead role, which went to Richard Roundtree; director Gordon Parks was impressed with Hot Buttered Soul where Hayes ended up scoring the film's music. In the 1970s and 1980s he had appeared in some TV shows, including The Rockford Files and The A-Team. He appeared as the title role in Truck Turner (1974) (the only film he ever had a leading role), The Duke of New York in Escape from New York (1981), and as "Hammer" in I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988). By the late 1990s, he was best known as the voice of Chef on South Park. A song from the series performed by Chef, "Chocolate Salty Balls (P.S. I Love You)", received some international radio airplay in 1999. It reached Number One on the UK singles chart. The track subsequently appeared on the album Chef Aid: The South Park Album in 1998. Hayes was inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2004, Hayes appeared in a recurring minor role as the Jaffa Tolok on the television series Stargate SG-1. The following year, he appeared in the critically acclaimed independent film Hustle & Flow. Hayes is also an outspoken Scientologist, frequently identified by Scientology as a success story and great example of the positive effects that Scientology can bring. He has called Scientology the "gateway to eternity" and "the path to happiness and total spiritual freedom." In February 2006, Hayes appeared in a Scientology music video called "United". Fox News entertainment reporter Roger Friedman reported receiving a copy in the mail sent personally from Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, along with a framed set of Scientology maxims such as "Never fear to hurt another in a just cause". In the South Park episode Trapped in the Closet, a satire and exposé of Scientology, Hayes did not appear in his role as Chef. In an interview for The A.V. Club on Jan. 4, 2006, Hayes was asked about the episode. Hayes said that he told the creators, Matt and Trey, "Guys, you have it all wrong. We're not like that. I know that's your thing, but get your information correct, because somebody might believe that shit, you know? But I understand what they're doing. I told them to take a couple of Scientology courses, and understand what we do."