Isaac Hayes found dead at home in Memphis, Tn.

Isaac Hayes

The following statement was released by Soulsville USA:

The Soulsville Foundation, which operates the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Stax Music Academy, and The Soulsville Charter School, is so deeply saddened by the passing of Isaac Hayes that we are in state of shock. Isaac is one of the most beloved members of the Stax family and we all cherish him. He will be missed not only by us, but also by the entire world and the millions of people who love him as much as we do.

Marc Willis, CEO of the Soulsville Foundation, said, "Isaac was unique and an inspiration to us all. His accomplishments as a musician are unparalleled. But more than that, he was a very dear friend and great supporter of the Soulsville Foundation mission, particularly the work we do with children. We will miss him and his wonderful presence more than we can convey at this time."

Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. (August 20, 1942 - August 10, 2008) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Hayes

I just want to first applaud Rev. Al Sharpton and his team for a respectable, wonderful tribute to Isaac Hayes today (8-11-08) on Sharpton's talk radio show "Keeping it Real with Al Sharpton", that is heard daily online from (1p-4pm eastern) http://www.sharptontalk.net/. Sharpton told many stories with many guests..like James Mtume, Roberta Flack, and others. I heard on the show a most revealing and disturbing fact about Isaac Hayes's Shaft score. I did not know that after the Academy Award winning masterpiece original "Shaft" filmscore, that Isaac Hayes was not given the opportunity to score any of the remaining Shaft movie sequels. Unfortunate that a movie company would be so bold as to deprive "thee" principal and ultimate Academy award-winning Isaac Hayes of an opportunity to score the remaining two (or 3) Shaft sequels. Come to think of it, I always wondered what was missing in those rather flat sequels. It turns out that what was missing was the soul of Isaac Hayes. I mean, what more could Isaac Hayes -- or any other movie music producer -- do than to win the film industry's biggest award -- Academy Award. This did not happen to composers like Burt Bacherach, John Williams, or Marvin Hamlish.

The feeling that African-Americans felt when Isaac Hayes won the first Academy Award for the original score was incredible. I viewed the 1972 Academy Awards, when Isaac Hayes was the Academy Award winner, with my entire family. I remember us all hollering, screaming, and applauding victoriously when the announcement of Isaac Hayes was announce as the Academy award winner. Another IMPORTANT racial barrier was broken.

Isaac Hayes's performance of the song "Shaft theme" at the 1972 Academy Awards was also most memorable. Isaac Hayes rising out of the floor playing the grand piano in a thick cloud of smoke was mesmerizing. In fact, it was after Isaac Hayes's memorable performance, when Isaac Hayes was given the Academy Award for Shaft score with still....the ever-present cloud of smoke remaining from his performance. For some reason the Academy folks could not remove the smoke from the arena, which made the effect more pronounced. Great moment!

Personally, I had the opportunity to host my first "salaried" full time air-shift in 1988 at KGFJ in Los Angeles (after nine years of hosting college, public, and part-time radio music and news shows). There was no other way to open a radio show than with Isaac Hayes funky version of "Walk on By". A full arsenal of other "long versions" of Isaac Hayes was sprinkled throughout show during the four year run at KGFJ. Radio was a lot more freer then, than now. Glad to have experienced true creative radio, and there was no composer as free and creative than Isaac Hayes.

Below are two articles about the passing and accomplishments of Isaac Hayes.

Rest in peace our pioneering trailblazer, who was the innovator of the long version songs; theme albums; and musical ("Do Your Thing") freedom -- Brotha Isaac Hayes.

"In the music industry, we thank God for having brought Black Moses to part the water" -- Rev. Al Sharpton 8-11-08.

MEMPHIS, TN (WMC-TV) - Soul music legend Isaac Hayes died early Sunday afternoon, according to Shelby County Sheriff's Department spokesperson Steve Shular. Hayes was 65.
A Shelby County sheriff's deputy responded to Hayes' home after his wife found him on the floor near a treadmill inside his home. Hayes was taken to Baptist East Hospital in Memphis, where he was pronounced dead at 2:08pm. Deputies with the Shelby County Sheriff's Department are continuing their investigation into Hayes' death, but they believe no foul play was involved.

Hayes was raised by his maternal grandparents in Covington, Tennessee, after his mother died and his father left the family when Hayes was an infant. He moved to Memphis at age 6.
Hayes planned to be a doctor, but got redirected when he won a talent contest in ninth grade by singing Nat King Cole's "Looking Back."

He held down various low-paying jobs, including shining shoes on the legendary Beale Street in Memphis. Hayes also played gigs in rural Southern juke joints where at times he had to hit the floor because someone began shooting.

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.
Hayes 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.

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.

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. "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.

"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.
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."

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.

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."

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." But Hayes angrily quit the show in 2006 after an episode mocked his Scientology religion. "There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry towards religious beliefs of others begins," he said. Hayes 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." (The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

WASHINGTON (AFP) - American funk-soul legend and Academy Award-award winning musician Isaac Hayes was found dead Sunday at his home in Memphis, Tennessee, officials said. He was 65.

The talented singer, songwriter and composer, who won the Oscar in 1972 for best original song for the theme from "Shaft," was found unresponsive at his house by family members, Shelby county spokesman Steve Shular told CNN.

"Shelby county sheriff's deputies received a 911 call about 1:00 pm (1800 GMT) central time from family members. They had gone out at about noon today to a grocery store and came back and unfortunately found him unresponsive in the bedroom," he said.

Hayes was given CPR by paramedics but could not be revived.

"Family members believe at this point it is a medical condition that might have led to his death," said Shular, adding that Hayes was being treated for "a number of medical issues." He declined to elaborate further. Hayes suffered a stroke in 2006.