I have a vivid memory of watching the 1971 Oscars telecast and being disinterested in much of the proceedings (well, except for anything about The French Connection) until Isaac Hayes came on and turned everything upside down. I imagine it’s like watching the Ed Sullivan show night after night until suddenly Elvis shows up.
The other thing that stands out in my head is Hayes’ role as crime lord The Duke in Escape From New York. Campy? A little, but maximum bad ass cool in a movie full of attitude. Hot Buttered Soul is on repeat play today… R.I.P.
We should all mount chandeliers on the hoods of our cars in his honor.
(Now, to find a pair of small, crystal-encrusted lamps that will have that certain je ne sais quoi when hot-glued to the front of my Taurus….)
What resonates in my mind about Isaac Hayes concerns his contributions as a producer, arranger, songwriter and backing musician for Sam and Dave, specifically his deft and subtle piano riffs on “Soul Man.”
Also, the magazine Entertainment Weekly ran a more substantial write-up on Hayes and his legacy than I had expected from their past work on artists of similar stature who have passed on, which is to the magazine’s credit.