Isaac Hayes

Musician, singer, songwriter, producer, composer and actor Isaac Hayes was one of the main forces behind the legendary Stax Records label in the 1960s, and released a number of notable recordings of his own in the 60s and 70s, including the Oscar-winning theme song from the 1971 film Shaft and the 1969 album Hot Buttered Soul. He also voiced the character of Chef on the animated series South Park. Hayes died on August 10, 2008. The cause of death was not immediately known. He was 65 years old.

Hayes started his music career as a session player for Stax Records. Along with songwriting partner Dave Porter, he also composed and recorded songs for acts like Sam and Dave] and Booker T. & the MGs, including the hit "Soul Man."

After Stax lost its biggest star, Otis Redding, and its back catalog to Atlantic Records, Hayes became one of the company's most significant, leading artists, and released a variety of solo efforts. He became known for reinventing classic pop songs - many written by Burt Bacharach - as psychedelic soul jams. Hayes would end up suing the financially-troubled Stax in 1974, and was released from his recording contract.

In 1971, he not only wrote the theme song for Shaft, but the also the film's instrumental score. (He won an Oscar for the song and was nominated for the rest of the film's music).

In 1977, he joined the lineup of Polydor Records and scored a few more Top 40 hits before taking a break from music to pursue acting.

After the success of Shaft, Hayes appeared in a number of blaxploitation films, including Three Tough Guys and Truck Turner. He also had a recurring role on the TV series The Rockford Files, did guest spots on The A-Team and Miami Vice and appeared in a variety of films throughout the 1980s, including Escape From New York, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka.

After soul crooner Barry White turned down the role of Chef on South Park, which had been based on him, Hayes stepped in to perform the character, even performing the original song "Chocolate Salty Balls" for the series. In March of 2006, Hayes issued a statement announcing his departure from the series. The singer, who had joined the Church of Scientology in 1995, felt that the show's attitude of religious beliefs was "intolerant." The show responded by showing the character of Chef departing the town of South Park to join "The Super Adventure Club."

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