Legendary soul singer Isaac Hayes’ death on Aug. 10, just ten days before his 66th birthday anniversary, has left a gap in the music industry that cannot be filled, a place that he carved out for himself, one which changed music forevermore.

Isaac Hayes is known to our parents as the Academy Award-winning composer of the theme from “Shaft” in the 1970s and for younger generations, as the deep ironic voice of cartoon character Chef from the hit show “South Park” in the late 1990s, who sang the irreverent “Chocolate Salty Balls.”

Isaac Hayes however is remembered first and foremost as a great soul singer-songwriter who brought innovations and a substantial contribution to the genre.

The Covington, Tennessee native started to sing at the tender age of 5 in his local church and, passionate self-taught man he was, learned to play the piano, electronic organ, flute and saxophone by himself.

He began his recording career in the late 1960s at Stax Records and would have his major breakthrough in 1969, with the release of “Hot Buttered Soul,” which established him as an original soul musician.

Two years later, Hayes received two Academy Award nominations for Best Original Song and for Best Original Dramatic Score for the music he composed for “Shaft.” The first of the nominations was also a win.

He released more records in the years that came and also turned to acting, in films such as “Three Tough Guys” and “Truck Turner” (for which he also recorded the soundtracks) in the 1970s, “Escape from New York” and “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka” in the 1980s, and “Johnny Mnemonic” in 1995, among others.

He also starred in television series “The Rockford Files” as Gandy Fitch.

In the 1990s he won over a new generation of fans by lending his voice to Chef on Comedy Central’s “South Park,” which he left in 2006.

Isaac Hayes’ final appearance in a movie is the upcoming “Soul Men,” starring Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac. Coincidentally, it is also Bernie Mac’s final role, as he passed away on Aug. 9.

Isaac Hayes was found unconscious on the floor inside his Memphis, Tenn. home by wife Adjowa on Aug. 10. He was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He was 65. Hayes had suffered a stroke in 2006.

Along with his musical legacy, Isaac Hayes left behind twelve children, the youngest of which, son Nana Kwadjo, with his fourth wife Adjowa, was born in 2006.