Post by Scott Lakefield on Aug 13, 2008 20:23:43 GMT -5
By ROB DURKEE
Isaac Hayes, who was most famous for the Academy Award winning song of the year, "Theme From 'Shaft'," died Sunday (August 10, 2008) in Memphis. He was 65 and just 10 days shy of turning 66. Hayes, who was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2002, was pronounced dead at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis. He'd collapsed near a treadmill in a downstairs bedroom in his Memphis home. "Theme From 'Shaft' " was among the very few hit songs to debut in the Top 10 (at #9) of "American Top 40." Hayes recalled, "That ("Shaft") was like the shot heard round the world." The song about the black private detective portrayed by Richard Roundtree shot to #1 on the Cashbox pop chart. Not only did the "Shaft" theme song win the major Oscar for top movie song, but it also won for Hayes the composer's Grammy award for Best Original Score for a Motion Picture or a TV special. He won at least two other Grammys. When honored for "Shaft" on the Oscar TV show, Hayes performed the song and accepted the award while clad in chains. He received a standing ovation. TV Guide ranked the moment #18 among the magazine's 25 most memorable TV moments. Hayes chalked up six other top 40 hits. The others were "I Stand Accused" (#38, 1970), "Never Can Say Goodbye" (#33, 1971), "Do Your Thing" (#23, 1972), "Theme From 'The Men' " (#36, 1972), "Joy" (#31, 1973) and "Don't Let Go" (#17, 1980). He wrote another 1980 hit, "Deja Vu," a #11 hit for Dionne Warwick. Additionally, he would overcome having declared bankruptcy. Isaac Hayes' big career break came in 1964, when he was hired as a session musician for Otis Redding at Stax Records. He played piano and saxophone. Along the way, he wrote or co-wrote at least five major R&B hits that crossed over to the pop chart. He first tasted pop top 40 success with two #16 hits in 1966 with "Hold On, I'm Coming" (Sam and Dave) and "B-A-B-Y" (Carla Thomas). Many of his big hits were co-written with David Porter. Hayes wrote or co-wrote two more major hits for Sam and Dave, the #1 "Soul Man" in 1967 " and the #8 "I Thank You" in 1968. He also wrote "Your Good Thing (Is About To End)" for Lou Rawls and, in 2000, "Bag Lady" for Erykah Badu. In 1969, Hayes gained even more popularity with his Top 10 album "Hot Buttered Soul," which included what critics would refer to as "raps". Thus, he was a rapper at least 11 years before "rap" became known on the pop music scene. "Hot Buttered Soul" included Hayes' remake of "By The time I Get To Phoenix," which lasted 18 minutes. "Jocks liked to play it at night," Hayes quipped. "They had time to go to the bathroom and even get a sandwich." The accolades poured in for Hayes when word spread of his passing. Collin Stanback, a former executive at Stax Records, said, "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. A lot of artists owe Isaac his career because a lot of music was based on his foundation." The Rev. Al Sharpton described Hayes as "a creative genius. Even in his later years, he never hesitated to appear for a cause or endorse something that he felt was for the good of mankind. He'll be sorely missed." Isaac Hayes was honored for his humanitarian work in 1992, when he was crowned an honorary king of Ghana's Ada district. Hayes also acted in movies. He portrayed himself in "Soul Men," which co-starred Samuel Jackson and Bernie Mac, who also died this past weekend. Hayes also acted in movies like "Tough Guys," "I'm Gonna Get You Sucka" and "Hustle And Flow." He was the voice of Nickelodeon's "Nick At Nite" in 1996. The next year, 1997, he became the voice of Chef on the Comedy Central show, "South Park." Isaac Hayes wrote the scores for the movies "Tough Guys" and "Truck Turner." He performed the song "Two Cool Guys" for the "Beavis And Butthead Do America" movie soundtrack.
Isaac Hayes, who was most famous for the Academy Award winning song of the year, "Theme From 'Shaft'," died Sunday (August 10, 2008) in Memphis. He was 65 and just 10 days shy of turning 66. Hayes, who was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2002, was pronounced dead at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis. He'd collapsed near a treadmill in a downstairs bedroom in his Memphis home. "Theme From 'Shaft' " was among the very few hit songs to debut in the Top 10 (at #9) of "American Top 40." Hayes recalled, "That ("Shaft") was like the shot heard round the world." The song about the black private detective portrayed by Richard Roundtree shot to #1 on the Cashbox pop chart. Not only did the "Shaft" theme song win the major Oscar for top movie song, but it also won for Hayes the composer's Grammy award for Best Original Score for a Motion Picture or a TV special. He won at least two other Grammys. When honored for "Shaft" on the Oscar TV show, Hayes performed the song and accepted the award while clad in chains. He received a standing ovation. TV Guide ranked the moment #18 among the magazine's 25 most memorable TV moments. Hayes chalked up six other top 40 hits. The others were "I Stand Accused" (#38, 1970), "Never Can Say Goodbye" (#33, 1971), "Do Your Thing" (#23, 1972), "Theme From 'The Men' " (#36, 1972), "Joy" (#31, 1973) and "Don't Let Go" (#17, 1980). He wrote another 1980 hit, "Deja Vu," a #11 hit for Dionne Warwick. Additionally, he would overcome having declared bankruptcy. Isaac Hayes' big career break came in 1964, when he was hired as a session musician for Otis Redding at Stax Records. He played piano and saxophone. Along the way, he wrote or co-wrote at least five major R&B hits that crossed over to the pop chart. He first tasted pop top 40 success with two #16 hits in 1966 with "Hold On, I'm Coming" (Sam and Dave) and "B-A-B-Y" (Carla Thomas). Many of his big hits were co-written with David Porter. Hayes wrote or co-wrote two more major hits for Sam and Dave, the #1 "Soul Man" in 1967 " and the #8 "I Thank You" in 1968. He also wrote "Your Good Thing (Is About To End)" for Lou Rawls and, in 2000, "Bag Lady" for Erykah Badu. In 1969, Hayes gained even more popularity with his Top 10 album "Hot Buttered Soul," which included what critics would refer to as "raps". Thus, he was a rapper at least 11 years before "rap" became known on the pop music scene. "Hot Buttered Soul" included Hayes' remake of "By The time I Get To Phoenix," which lasted 18 minutes. "Jocks liked to play it at night," Hayes quipped. "They had time to go to the bathroom and even get a sandwich." The accolades poured in for Hayes when word spread of his passing. Collin Stanback, a former executive at Stax Records, said, "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. A lot of artists owe Isaac his career because a lot of music was based on his foundation." The Rev. Al Sharpton described Hayes as "a creative genius. Even in his later years, he never hesitated to appear for a cause or endorse something that he felt was for the good of mankind. He'll be sorely missed." Isaac Hayes was honored for his humanitarian work in 1992, when he was crowned an honorary king of Ghana's Ada district. Hayes also acted in movies. He portrayed himself in "Soul Men," which co-starred Samuel Jackson and Bernie Mac, who also died this past weekend. Hayes also acted in movies like "Tough Guys," "I'm Gonna Get You Sucka" and "Hustle And Flow." He was the voice of Nickelodeon's "Nick At Nite" in 1996. The next year, 1997, he became the voice of Chef on the Comedy Central show, "South Park." Isaac Hayes wrote the scores for the movies "Tough Guys" and "Truck Turner." He performed the song "Two Cool Guys" for the "Beavis And Butthead Do America" movie soundtrack.