A Final Tribute to Isaac Hayes on Monday in Tennessee

The final tribute for Isaac Hayes is scheduled for Monday August 18, 2008 in Memphis, Tennessee. The world class musician died a week ago at the age of 65. He had been found unconscious in his home in Memphis, apparently having suffered a deadly stroke resulting from high blood pressure. He apparently had been on a treadmill when the stroke occurred, as he was discovered near a treadmill by a relative.

The memorial service is set to take place tomorrow at 11.am at the Hope Presbyterian church which is located at 8500 Walnut Grove Rd in Cordova, Tennessee. The location seems to be sparking controversy due to it being a Presbyterian Church locale while Hayes was a practicing Scientologist for more than 15 years. However, Hayes family and the church stated that this is strictly a memorial celebrating the life and work of Isaac Hayes. The 5,000 capacity church hall has modern audio and visual equipments that make it preferable over other sites in the area. It is probable that a private funeral was held for Hayes following his Scientology beliefs.

Ironically, Isaac Hayes had done a recent movie with Bernie Mac, the king of comedy who also departed last weekend a day before Hayes. Both men worked on a movie called Soul Men, which is not yet in theaters. It is sad that both passed away so suddenly, at a time when great things are happening in their lives and careers. Hayes was of course legendary in his recent act as the voice of Chef on the popular cartoon South Park on comedy Central, which has a strong following from postmodern audience. But Hayes' main popularity is traced back to the 1970's, when he set new trends in music, fashion, and the well known disco. His work on Shaft soundtrack gained him accolades including Golden Globe and Grammy awards.

More importantly, Isaac Hayes was a man who put the welfare of his people at heart, above his own self interests. After visiting Ghana in the early 1990s, he was moved by what he saw and instead of building a castle on acres of land granted to him as a Ghanaian honorary king, Hayes built an 8,000 square foot school for the people of Ghana. He had a host of literacy programs for the world's underprivileged. May his soul rest in peace, with The King of kings.

Source:
http://www.myfoxmemphis.com