Singer, keyboardist, producer, songwriter and actor.
Born: 20 August 1942 in Covington, Tennessee.
Died: 10 August 2008 in his Tennessee home.
Signed to the
Stax record label during the 1960s and 1970s, Hayes played an important role in shaping the "Memphis sound". First active for the label as musician and later songwriter/producer (usually teaming up with
David Porter), he enjoyed his biggest success as a solo artist in 1971 with the soundtrack to the movie
Shaft. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
As an actor, he is best known as the voice of
Chef on the animated tv-series
South Park (1997-2006).
Isaac Hayes is the father of
Isaac Hayes III.