Soul music legend Isaac Hayes dies aged 65

ISAAC Hayes, the legendary singer, and songwriter who composed the award-winning theme for the film Shaft was found dead at his home yesterday, aged 65.

Hayes' wife Adjowa and their young son found him unconscious on the floor near a treadmill, which was still running, at their home in Memphis, Tennessee.

He was taken to hospital but pronounced dead in the afternoon. Initial reports suggested he had suffered a "simultaneous" heart attack and stroke.

Mr Hayes had suffered a stroke in 2006.

A police spokesman said last night: "Family members believe it is a medical condition that might have led to his death. Mr Hayes was being treated for a number of medical issues."

The singer, whose career spanned four decades, was married four times and has 12 children. He became popular with the younger generation as the voice of Chef on the irreverent animated series South Park .

Mr Hayes, a flamboyant, deep-voiced performer, won an Oscar for the 1971 hit Theme From Shaft.

In the early 1970s, Hayes laid the groundwork for several genres of black music and for romantic crooners like Barry White.

His career hit another high in 1997 when he became the voice of Chef, the soul-singing, school cook and devoted ladies man on South Park.

A song from the series performed by Hayes, Chocolate Salty Balls (P.S. I Love You) ,became a huge international hit in 1999, reaching number one in the British singles' charts.

The role introduced him to a new generation of fans, but he left in 2006 after the show lampooned his own religion, the Church of Scientology.

He also appeared in several movies, including It Could Happen to You with Nicolas Cage, and Ninth Street with Martin Sheen.

Hayes was born in Covington, Tennessee, on 20 August, 1942 and was raised by his grandparents after his mother died.

He began singing at the age of five at his local church, and, soon after, he taught himself to play the piano, electronic organ, flute and saxophone.

He became a key figure in the development of the 1960s Southern soul sound before going on to a successful solo career.

In 1964, he began playing with the Mar-Keys, which led to his long stint as a musician, songwriter and producer for the Memphis soul label Stax Records. He also worked as a session musician for big names such as Otis Redding.

Over the following years, Hayes and songwriting partner David Porter wrote a reported 200 songs, including such soul classics as Sam & Dave's Soul Man and Hold On, I'm Comin', Carla Thomas' B-A-B-Y and Johnnie Taylor's I Had a Dream.

The LP Hot Buttered Soul, his second solo release, made Hayes a star in 1969. His shaven head, gold chains and sunglasses gave him a compelling image.

The record was groundbreaking in several ways: He sang in a "cool" style unlike the usual histrionics of big-time soul singers and he prefaced the song with "raps". Unusually, the tracks lasted longer than three minutes and had lush arrangements.

The Theme From Shaft, became a number one hit in 1971when it was released along with the iconic action film starring Richard Roundtree.

In an interview Hayes later referred to the record's enormous success. "That was like the shot heard round the world," he said.

At the Oscar ceremony in 1972, Hayes performed the song wearing an eye-popping amount of gold and received a standing ovation. TV Guide, a popular US magazine, included the performance in its list of television's 25 most memorable moments. He also won an Academy Award for the song.

FACTBOX

• Isaac Hayes was crowned Nene (King] Katey Ocansey I of Ghana in late December 1992 in recognition of his charity work.

• Passionate about Southern cuisine, he became a restaurateur and regularly performed at his restaurants in Memphis and Chicago.

• He established the Isaac Hayes Foundation in the early 1990s which aimed to raise self-esteem in underprivileged people through music and nutritional education.

• As well as voicing the amorous chef on South Park, Hayes also made guest appearances on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The A Team and Stargate SG-1 as Jaffa Tolok.