‘Shaft’ Soul Man Dies at Home

ISAAC Hayes, the pioneering singer, songwriter and musician whose Theme From Shaft won Academy and Grammy awards, has died.

His family found the 65-year-old lying near a treadmill at his home in Memphis, Tennessee. He was pronounced dead an hour later at Baptist East Hospital, said Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. The cause of death was not immediately known.

In the early 1970s, Hayes laid the groundwork for disco, for what became known as urbancontemporary music and for romantic crooners like Barry White, rapping before there was rap.

His career hit another high in 1997 when he became the voice of Chef, the sensible school cook and devoted ladies man on the animated TV show South Park.

Steve Shular, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office, said authorities received an emergency call after Hayes’ wife and young son and his wife’s cousin returned home from shopping and found him collapsed.

“The treadmill was running but he was unresponsive lying on the floor,” Mr Shular said.

The album Hot Buttered Soul made Hayes a star in 1969. His shaven head, gold chains and sunglasses gave him a compelling visual image. Next came Theme From Shaft, a hit in 1971 from the film Shaft starring Richard Roundtree.

(c) 2008 Evening Mail; Birmingham (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.