Sunday, August 10, 2008

My tribute to Issac Hayes

No, I did not know Isaac Hayes, but I felt him. Over and over and over again. He had the voice of the perfect man.

And that voice was fresh in my head because for the last day and a half, I have been working on a video to be posted for the Angel City Classic, where we were going to have him come and we all would pay tribute to him during the 5th quarter, after the big game on Sept. 27 th.

I thought my work was done (producing video is a butt-numbing experience in which you are glued to your padded chair for hours on end), when I got a call from Gail saying she'd heard another Black famous person passed. (Bernie Mac had just passed the day or two before.) I scoured the 'Net. Seeing nothing, I checked my email and shockingly, thanks to a Yahoo News headline, I learned that the other famous black man who had passed was Isaac Hayes. Our beloved Isaac Hayes.

Shockwaves coursed through my body. I still haven't recovered. Somebody shake me; wake me when its over, please.

Ironically, the two had starred in a movie Soul Men along with Samuel Jackson and John Legend. That movie took a major blow losing two stars.

We met Isaac Hayes once, years ago when my kids were middle-aged. He sauntered down the hall of KACE. I went to introduce them and asked them if they knew who he was. My son said "Yeah, we know him from 'I'm gonna Get You Sucka!'" and fell out laughing, going to give him a low five. I had not even seen the movie but the younger generation knew Isaac Hayes. (Yes, he was in South Park too, but that was later.)

Angel City Classic's Tribute to Isaac Hayes
So, now we are really beefing up this tribute to Isaac Hayes. He won't be there like we planned but hopefully you will. We want it to look just like it did that day he stretched his arms to the sky



with the back drop of 90,000 black folks looking on. We want to hear some of the songs, and spread the hot-buttered soul he made us feel.
Our condolences, Hayes family. We loved him too.
Stay tuned for more www.AngelCityClassic.com (better yet sign up for the email list and enter to win the BMW while you are there!)

Isidra Person-Lynn

PS: Isaac starred in a Heart Clinic commercial launched during the Olympics. Reading the initial reports, how ironic.

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