Memphis soul architect
As a Stax Records songwriter, producer and performer, Hayes helped shape the “Memphis soul” sound and co-wrote classics like “Soul Man” and “Hold On, I’m Coming.”
Community celebration
Atlanta's Isaac Hayes Day
August 20, 2018 — the city officially honored the soul legend on what would have been his 75th birthday.
The atrium at Atlanta City Hall during the official Isaac Hayes Day proclamation, August 20, 2018.
Recap
A city proclamation for a soul icon
On August 20, 2018, Atlanta joined the world in celebrating the life and legacy of Isaac Hayes. The city marked what would have been his 75th birthday with an official proclamation, recognizing the pioneering musician, songwriter, producer and actor whose work shaped the sound of Memphis soul and influenced generations of Atlanta artists.
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms led the honor, joined by members of the Hayes family including his son Isaac Hayes III and daughter Veronica Hayes. The proclamation saluted Hayes not only for his chart-topping hits and Academy Award-winning "Theme from Shaft," but also for his cultural imprint on Atlanta, where he lived for more than fifteen years.
For the Atlanta Association for the Arts, the day was a reminder of why the city's creative heritage matters. From Stax Records to Atlanta studios, from the Georgia Music Hall of Fame to the working artists and producers on stage today, the thread runs through people like Isaac Hayes — artists who turned craft into culture and culture into community.
From the day
Photos & video
Moments from the City Hall proclamation, the family remarks and the celebration that followed.
Courtesy of Atlanta Association for the Arts
Lasting impact
Why Isaac Hayes still matters to Atlanta
Oscar and Grammy winner
His “Theme from Shaft” earned an Academy Award for Best Original Song and a Grammy, making him one of the first Black artists to win in that category.
Atlanta resident
Hayes lived in Atlanta from the mid-1970s until 1992, leaving a deep imprint on the city's creative community and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, which inducted him in 1994.
Voice and influence
Beyond the music, Hayes was a producer, actor, philanthropist and cultural ambassador whose work still echoes in Atlanta studios and stages today.
Remembering Ike
"Atlanta is a global creative capital. Its creative workforce deserves an organized voice."
Isaac Hayes Day is one of many moments that remind us the city's creative legacy is built by individuals who turned sound into movement, and movement into community.
Keep the legacy alive
Join the coalition that advocates for Atlanta's working musicians, filmmakers, broadcast professionals and visual artists.