Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. (August 20, 1942 August 10, 2008) was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and musician. Hayes was one of the main creative forces behind southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served as both an in-house songwriter and producer with partner David Porter during the mid-1960s. Alongside, Bill Withers, the Sherman Brothers, Steve Cropper and John Fogerty, Hayes & Porter were named to the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 in recognition of their string of successful hit songs for Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas and others In the late 1960s. Their hit song "Soul Man" by Sam & Dave has been recognized as one of the best or most influential songs of the past 50 years by the Grammy Hall of Fame, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Rolling Stone magazine, and the RIAA Songs of the Century.