Black Moses Enters the Promised Land
By LMReviews on Sep 7, 2008 in Multicultural Contributors, Multicultural History
In a life that appeared to come full circle, Isaac Hayes who was born to a simple but fruitful farm life on August 20th 1942 in rural Tennessee, returned to the place of his birth in 2003 an accomplished musician and philanthropist. Orphaned as an infant, Isaac and his sister were raised by his grandparents who taught them to embrace country life. The family became poverty-stricken with a move to the city and the death of his grandfather. Just one of a host of life’s ironies, Isaac’s estate overlooks the same cotton fields he used to mine.
It was the strong belief in his abilities from high school teachers and his grandmother that encouraged Hayes to pursue his many talents. Despite a short run in the church choir, a guidance counselor helped him recognize his true vocal currency when he brought a talent show audience to its feet. With growing adoration from crowds of girls and others, Hayes put all his energy in music which included singing and learning the saxophone and piano. Instead of cashing in on the several vocal scholarships he garnered, Hayes took a job as a baritone saxophonist which later turned to song writing.
His soulful tunes such as Walk on By, By the Time I Get to Phoenix and the Theme from Shaft as well as his long running voiceover skills as South Park‘s Chef are known the world over. It often takes the death of a true cultural icon such as Hayes to realize the reach of his contributions. Passing away unexpectedly on August 10, 2008, Hayes had an induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Grammy and Oscar awards in addition to a popular radio show, two books, movie credits, a Ghana-based educational foundation, and two restaurants .
With four marriages that produced 11 children and 16 grandchildren in addition to his charitable works, the legacy that is left behind from the man who was known for his deep vocal baritone and oversized gold chains will not soon disappear.
