Stax Museum Honors Isaac Hayes' Birthday with First Hayes Signature Shirt

FIRST EVER ISAAC HAYES T-SHIRT.
Entertainment icon Isaac Hayes was born in Covington, Tennessee, on August 20, 1942. Today, on what would have been the late Stax Records legend’s 67th birthday, the Stax Museum of American Soul Music is introducing the new Isaac Hayes Signature T-Shirt for men and women.

With United States exclusivity rights from Mr. Hayes’ family and his estate granted to the Stax Museum for use of his image and name on merchandise, this new t-shirt is the first in what will become the Isaac Hayes Collection, sold at the Stax Museum, through the museum’s web store, and at other locations where Stax-related products are sold.

While obviously commercial in some aspects, the museum’s intent in designing the collection is also to promote the legacy of Mr. Hayes for future generations to come. Partial proceeds from sales of the collection will benefit the nonprofit Stax Music Academy, which Mr. Hayes dearly loved.

The new t-shirt, which features a photo illustration of the sultan of soul looking over his signature sunglasses, will be available at the Stax Museum gift shop starting Saturday, August 22, 2009.

Al Bell, Stax Records, Stax Museum in The New York Times

Josh Anderson for The New York Times

READ IT HERE! DEBORAH SONTAG FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES ON AL BELL, STAX RECORDS, AND THE STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/16/arts/music/16sont.html?hp

Grave Marker Unveiling Ceremony for Stax Legend Isaac Hayes

Just a little after one year of the passing of entertainment icon Isaac Hayes on August 10, 2008 at his home in Memphis, Tennessee, a special ceremony will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2009, at 6:30 p.m. at his gravesite at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee.

“ROSES FOR BLACK MOSES: A Celebration and Commemoration of the Life of Isaac Hayes” will include the unveiling of a special grave marker designed to pay tribute and memorialize the singer, songwriter, actor, Academy Award and Grammy winner, author, radio show host, and philanthropist whose works changed the course of popular culture internationally and whose philanthropic efforts have helped children and others worldwide for decades.

Hayes, born in Covington, Tennessee on August 20, 1942, came to Stax Records in the early 1960s, where he quickly formed a successful songwriting partnership with David Porter. The two went on to write more than 200 songs for the company, including “Soul Man,” “Hold On, I’m Coming,” and “When Something is Wrong with my Baby.” Both became legends in the music business and Hayes went on to enjoy a solo career in music. He was the first African-American to win an Oscar for a non-acting category for his “Theme from Shaft,” starred in more than 30 movies and television shows, became an honorary king of Ghana, where he built an 8,000-square-foot school, and was best known to younger generations for his role of “Chef” on the animated sitcom South Park.

The public is invited to “ROSES FOR BLACK MOSES”, and attendees are encouraged to bring roses, which will be placed in a large vase beside the grave marker before it is unveiled and will then be distributed to area nursing homes. There will be a short program with David Porter, members of the Hayes family, former Stax Records artists, and out-of-town guests. In case of rain, the ceremony will be held indoors at the cemetery.