A statement today from a sheriff’s department in Tennessee has confirmed that Isaac Hayes apparently died of a stroke. The 65-year-old singer died Sunday when he collapsed near a treadmill in his Memphis home. The Shelby County Sheriff’s office stated that he was pronounced dead at Baptist East Hospital.
No autopsy was performed, but a statement from sheriff’s spokesperson Steve Shular said that paperwork was filed by Hayes’ family physician, Dr. David Kraus issues that the stroke was cause of death.
Hayes was best known for composing the music of the 1971 film Shaft. The theme song went all up to number one, helping make the movie a box-office hit, and winning Hayes a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Golden Globe in 1972. Besides music, Hayes also had an acting career, giving his voice as the ladies’ man cook Chef on Comedy Central’s animated South Park in 1997. He angrily left the show in 2006 when an episode mocked his beliefs, leading his character to be killed off.
Hayes was in middle of recording a new album for the highly successful soul record label Stax, and just finished completing the upcoming Soul Men with Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac, who sadly passed away on Saturday.
Hayes has been proclaimed that his music not only paved the way for disco, but also for soul, R&B, and romantic singers like Barry White.
Hayes was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
