 Isaac Hayes: Passed away
American soul, funk and R&B musician Isaac Hayes died on Sunday afternoon after he collapsed near a treadmill. He was 65.
Both Academy and Grammy awards winning musician was declared dead at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis an hour after he was found by his family members, the Shelby County Sheriff's Office said. The cause of death was not immediately known.
Steve Shular, a spokesman for the sheriff's office, said that authorities received a 911 call after Isaac Hayes' wife and young son returned home and found him collapsed in a downstairs bedroom. A sheriff's deputy administered CPR until paramedics arrived.
Isaac Hayes' "Theme From Shaft" won both Academy and Grammy awards. Hayes, the talented singer, songwriter and composer was always a music prodigy.
Collin Stanback, an A&R executive at Stax, told, "Isaac Hayes embodies everything that's soul music. When you think of soul music you think of Isaac Hayes ... the expression ... the sound and the creativity that goes along with it".
Hayes was about to begin work on a new album for Stax, the soul record label he helped build to legendary status. And he had recently finished work on a movie called "Soul Men" in which he played himself, starring Samuel Jackson and Bernie Mac, who died on Saturday.
After graduating in 1962, he turned down offers for music scholarships; he played the saxophone, the piano and set off in search of career in the music industry. The album "Hot Buttered Soul" made Isaac Hayes a star in 1969. His shaven head, gold chains and sunglasses gave him a compelling visual image.
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".
In 1972, Isaac Hayes won another Grammy for his album "Black Moses". 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.
Isaac Hayes acted in several movies, like "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".
Hayes was born in 1942 in a tin shack in Covington, Tenn., about 40 miles north of Memphis. He was raised by his maternal grandparents after his mother died and his father took off when he was 1 1/2. The family moved to Memphis when he was 6.
Isaac Hayes will be remembered for his commitment to charity and philanthropy, especially for organisations that seek to improve the education infrastructure in Africa.
He is survived by his wife Adjowa, whom he married in 2005. |
News / Gossips by martinbartholdi
