First Bernie Mac and now Isaac Hayes. It’s been a sad weekend for the entertainment world. These things always seem to happen in threes, so I’m waiting to see who’s next.
A soundtrack for this post
I just clicked over to Isaac Hayes’ website to see if the news was announced there of his passing, and oddly enough he was working on a movie project called “Soul Men” with Samuel L. Jackson and … wait for it … Bernie Mac. Weird, huh? I’m hoping this isn’t an omen for Samuel L. Jackson.
I hate to think his legacy is going to be Chef and “Chocolate Salty Balls” or even the theme from Shaft. Don’t get me wrong, I think both were great, but there’s so much more to him than that. Before Shaft made him a household name he was a studio musician at Stax Records and co-wrote some of the great Stax tunes like “Soul Man.” Shaft aside, most of his commercially successful music came in covers but he found a way to make each uniquely his own.
He also briefly had a restaurant/nightclub for in Memphis, which unfortunately was never very good. It did have a Hot Buttered Soul platter though, and it was exactly as you are probably imagining it.
I was really saddened by both of these losses. Bernie Mac was just so random and he was so young! My dad is older than him! Isaac Hayes is like Tim Russert, totally unexpected and tragic. I loved him as Chef (I want to lick you all over) and Shaft, lord who could forget that? He won an Oscar for it. Sad.
So sad!
Isaac Hayes had the coolest voice in the history of voices. RIP, Chef.
I’m with you, these usually happen in threes. I’m holding my breath that this time will be different.