ISAAC HAYES PASSES

Singer Isaac Hayes passes.

Isaac Hayes died Sunday in Memphis, where he lived. He was 65. A releative discovered an unresponsive Hayes near an exercise machine in their home at midday, and Hayes was pronounced dead at 2:10 p.m. when he arrived at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis.

"The family had last seen him about noon," says Steve Shular, public information officer for that office. "Family members had gone to the grocery store and left him home. When the family came home around 1, his wife's cousin found him lying on the floor in the basement near a treadmill. The treadmill was running, so it is believed that he had been working out." Although the hospital is still determining the cause of death, Shular says Hayes most likely died of natural causes. "There doesn't seem to be any foul play," says Shular. "We don't see anything suspicious about his death. There will be a further statement from the hospital about the cause of death."

Family members said the singer, who had a history of high blood pressure, had recently been treated for various medical conditions. In January 2006, news sources reported that Hayes had suffered a mild stroke. At the time, friends said the condition was brought on by exhaustion.

From 1997 to 2006, Hayes voiced the role of South Park's school-cafeteria sage, Chef. However, he abruptly quit over what he considered the show's disrespect for religion. South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone speculated that Hayes was offended by the show's treatment of his faith, Scientology.

In 2006, Hayes's welcomed a son, who was named Nana Kwadjo Hayes. It was the musician's first child with his wife Adjowa. (They were married in 2005.) Hayes reportedly had 12 children, 14 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.