Isaac Hayes

Few figures exerted greater influence over the music of the '60s and '70s than Isaac Hayes, a singer, songwriter, keyboardist, arranger, and producer who mastered the art of the three-minute single and pushed R&B forward with richly musical side-long compositions and radical cover versions. After laying the groundwork for Memphis soul and the rise of Stax Records -- he and David Porter co-wrote hits for Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, and Johnnie Taylor -- Hayes launched a highly successful solo career that greatly informed the development of funk, film music, disco, and rap. His ar...