Isaac Hayes

Isaac Hayes

1942-08-20 – 2008-08-10 (age 65) Covington, Tennessee, USA
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Biography

Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American songwriter, musician, singer, and occasionally an actor. Hayes was one of the creative influences behind the southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwriter and as a record producer, teaming with his partner David Porter during the mid-1960s. Hayes, Porter, Bill Withers, the Sherman Brothers, Steve Cropper, and John Fogerty were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 in recognition of writing scores of notable songs for themselves, the duo "Sam & Dave", Carla Thomas, and others.

The hit song "Soul Man" written by Hayes and Porter, and first performed by "Sam & Dave" has been recognized as one of the most influential songs of the past 50 years by the Grammy Hall of Fame. This song was also honored by The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, by Rolling Stone magazine, and by the RIAA as the Songs of the Century.

During the late 1960s, Hayes also became a recording musician, and he recorded several successful soul albums such as Hot Buttered Soul (1969) and Black Moses (1971). In addition to his work in popular music, Hayes worked as composer of musical scores for motion pictures.

Hayes is well known for his musical score for the film Shaft (1971). For his composition of the "Theme from Shaft", Hayes was awarded the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1972. Hayes became the third African-American, after Sidney Poitier and Hattie McDaniel, to win an Academy Award in any competitive field whatsoever covered by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Hayes also won two Grammy Awards for that same year. Later, he was given his third Grammy Award for his music album Black Moses.

During 1992, in recognition of his humanitarian work there, Hayes was crowned as the honorary king of the Ada, Ghana region. Hayes also acted in motion pictures and television, such as in the movie, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, and as Gandolf "Gandy" Fitch in the TV series The Rockford Files (1974 – 80). Then from 1997 to 2005, he lent his distinctive, deep voice to the character "Chef" on the animated TV series South Park.

On August 5, 2003, Isaac Hayes was honored as a BMI Icon at the 203 BMI Urban Awards for his enduring influence on generations of music makers.Throughout his songwriting career, Hayes received five BMI R&B Awards, two BMI Pop Awards, two BMI Urban Awards and six Million-Air citations. As of 2008, his songs generated more than 12 million performances.

Description above from the Wikipedia Isaac Hayes, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Known For

Escape from New York
Escape from New York

1981

as The Duke of New York

South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
It Could Happen to You
It Could Happen to You

1994

as Angel Dupree

Robin Hood: Men in Tights
Shaft
Shaft

2000

as Mr. P (uncredited)

Dr. Dolittle 2
Dr. Dolittle 2

2001

as Possum (voice)

Reindeer Games
Reindeer Games

2000

as Zock

Posse
Posse

1993

as Cable

Hustle & Flow
Hustle & Flow

2005

as Arnel

Blues Brothers 2000
Blues Brothers 2000

1998

as The Louisiana Gator Boys

Kill Switch
Kill Switch

2008

as Coroner

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
Oblivion
Oblivion

1994

as Buster

I'm Gonna Git You Sucka
Truck Turner
Truck Turner

1974

as Truck

Soul Men
Soul Men

2008

as Self

Flipper
Flipper

1996

as Sheriff Buck Cowan

CB4
CB4

1993

as Owner

Magic Island
Magic Island

1995

as Mad Face

Counterforce
Counterforce

1988

as Ballard