RIP: Legendary Soul Man Isaac Hayes

Soul singer, self-taught musician, and actor Isaac Hayes passed away on Sunday afternoon, August 10, at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

No official cause of death has been released yet, but the 65-year-old entertainer’s wife found him unconscious on his bedroom floor next to a treadmill that was still on. Local law enforcement speculated that his passing was related to an unspecified medical condition.

Raised in Covington, Tennessee, Hayes got his start in music early when he won a talent contest in ninth grade. He began working for legendary Memphis-based Stax Records in 1964 as a pianist and saxophone player, and his music career flourished from there.

He wrote hits like “Soul Man” for Sam and Dave with his writing partner David Porter, earned his own recording contract, and won a Best Original Song Grammy Award in 1972 for composing the “Theme from Shaft,” still one of the most loved and instantly recognizable tunes in the world.

Many television fans will remember Hayes for his contributions to the popular animated series South Park, where he voiced the character of Chef from 1997 until 2006. He eventually left the show due to an episode he felt mocked his religion Scientology. Hayes also lent his unique voice to Nickelodeon’s Nick at Nite programming, and he appeared in numerous feature films, including It Could Happen to You with Nicholas Cage and Reindeer Games with Ben Affleck.

Standup comedian and actor Bernie Mac passed away just a day before Hayes. Not only did Hayes have a cameo on Mac’s hit Fox sitcom The Bernie Mac Show during the 2005 episode “The Music Man,” but Hayes was also slated to appear in an upcoming musical comedy called Soul Men that would have co-starred Mac as well.

Hayes is survived by his wife of three years, Adjowa, and reportedly twelve children, fourteen grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Condolences to the entire family.