CNN is reporting that singer Isaac Hayes has been found dead in his Tennessee home.

Isaac Hayes, RIP
1942-2008

Relatives found Hayes, 65, unconscious in his home next to a still-running treadmill, said Steve Schular, a spokesman for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department. Paramedics attempted to revive him and took him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 2 p.m., the sheriff’s department said. No foul play is suspected, the agency said in a written statement.

Hayes was a longtime songwriter and arranger for Stax Records in Memphis. In 1971, his theme from “Shaft” became a hit and won an Academy Award for best original theme song. The song and the movie score also won Grammy awards for best original score and movie theme.

Hayes was also the voice of Chef on South Park and a Scientologist. He leaves behind 12 children, 14 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren, and his fourth wife Adjowa.

Adjowa and Isaac Hayes with baby Nana Kwadjo, AP Photo, 2006

Soul Man

The famous 1967 song was written by Hayes and David Porter for the Stax label. It was first successful as a hit single by Atlantic Records duo Sam and Dave.

In July 1967, the 12th Street Riot in Detroit, Michigan occurred. Watching a television newscast of the aftermath of the 12th Stree Riots (July, 1967), Hayes noted that black Detroit residents had marked the buildings that had not been destroyed during the riots - most African-American owned and operated institutions - with the word “soul”. Hayes and Porter came up with the idea, of “a story about one’s struggle to rise above his present conditions. It’s almost a tune kind of like boasting ‘I’m a soul man’. It’s a pride thing.”

Shaft

Released in 1971, the theme to the movie Shaft spent two weeks at number one in the Billboard Hot 100. Hayes won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for the “Theme from Shaft,” and was nominated for Best Original Dramatic Score for the film’s score.

Truck Turner

Truck Turner is a 1974 blaxploitation film, starring Isaac Hayes (who also did the soundtrack). Hayes plays Truck Turner, a bounty hunter targeted for assassination after killing a pimp.

Escape From New York

John Carpenter’s massive cult film from 1981 featured Hayes as the bad guy - the Duke of New York. He kidnaps the president and forces him to say: You’re the Duke of New York, you’re A Number One!

“I was like a groupie on this. Kurt Russell, Ernest Borgnine, Lee Van Cleef…heck of a list. But I was the man in charge. [Laughs]”

Scientology

Hayes joined Scientology around 1995.

“If you really want to know about the mind, the spirit and life itself, read Scientology: The Fundamentals of Thought. It will put you on the right path!”

South Park

In the animated South Park, Hayes voiced the character of Chef, the “soul-singing cafeteria worker.” A song he performed as Chef called “Chocolate Salty Balls”, reached number-one on the UK singles chart and also on the Irish singles chart.

In the South Park episode “Trapped in the Closet”, a satire and expose of Scientology, Hayes did not appear as Chef.

Opie and Anthony: “What did you think about when Matt and Trey did that episode on Scientology?” Isaac Hayes: “One thing about Matt and Trey, they lampoon everybody, and if you take that serious, I’ll sell you the Brooklyn bridge for two dollars. That’s what they do.”

Later on, a statement issued in Hayes’ name asked to release him from his contract with Comedy Central, citing recent episodes which satirized religious beliefs as being intolerant. Stone and Parker agreed to release Hayes from his contract per his request.