R.I.P. Isaac Hayes Isaac Hayes Dead At 65 On August 10, 2008, Isaac's wife found him on the floor near a treadmill inside his Memphis, TN home. He was was taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis,TN where he was pronounced dead at 2:08 p.m. He was 65 years old. Initial reports indicate he had a "simultaneous" heart attack and stroke. LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Oscar-winning soul singer Isaac Hayes died in Memphis on Sunday, aged 65, his friend and former manager Onzie Horne said. Horne told Reuters that he had spoken to Hayes' wife, who confirmed that Hayes was found unconscious at his home, and rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Hayes, a flamboyant, deep-voiced performer, won an Academy Award for "Theme from 'Shaft.'" Along with David Porter, he also co-wrote soul classics for Sam and Dave, such as "Soul Man" and "When Something is Wrong With My Baby." He may be better known to younger fans for supplying the voice of Chef on the hit cartoon series "South Park."