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"Roses for Black Moses" celebrates life of Hayes

By Bob Mehr

’Roses for Black Moses’ celebrates life of Hayes
By Bob Mehr

David Porter has lots of memories of Isaac Hayes, as the two friends, songwriting partners and pillars of Stax Records enjoyed one of the most successful musical runs in the 1960s.

But some of his fondest recollections are more recent ones: the times they would sneak in the back door of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, stroll through the exhibits and look on in wonder at the monument dedicated to their music.

"He would have (tears) in his eyes, to go through and see all this," said Porter, sitting in the offices of the Stax Museum. "And he’d have to keep the shades on to play Isaac Hayes, but when we’d get in the car it was like, ’Man, do you believe this?’ It was tremendously humbling, especially from where we came from."

For Porter, such memories are now bittersweet as he reflects on the one-year anniversary of Hayes’ passing.

Hayes died at his home in Memphis on Aug. 10, 2008, after suffering a stroke. He left behind 11 children, including a young son, Nana Kwadjo, whom he had with his fourth wife, Adjowa.

Tonight, Porter and Adjowa, as well as other family members and friends, will be at Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery for a special remembrance called "Roses for Black Moses." The event, which is open to the public, will include the unveiling of a graveside memorial to Hayes, who would have been 66 this week.

"There’s so much love and respect for Isaac, we wanted to make the world aware of where his resting place is," said Porter. "And we want to celebrate his life."

For Hayes’ widow, the memorial is an extension of her late husband’s generous spirit.

"Everybody I’ve met, they have a good story about him," she said, "and I wanted to give people the chance to show they love Isaac, the way he loved them."

Those who attend the service are encouraged to bring roses, which will be collected in a large vase and then redistributed to nursing homes throughout the city.

"Even in his passing, we know he’d want to see something good to come out of it," said Porter.

For those left behind, the 12 months since Hayes’ death have been a time of mourning, reflection and change.

Last month, Adjowa and the couple’s 3-year-old son moved from Memphis to Atlanta.

"It’s been extremely difficult for her in Memphis," said Porter. "So she went to a place there are some friends, some of Isaac’s (older children), and a support system."

"It’s been really, really hard for me," said Adjowa, a native of Ghana who met Hayes in 1992. "Everywhere I go in Memphis, I think of Isaac."

According to Adjowa, Hayes’ son is already bonding with his late father through his music.

"He plays his daddy’s songs all the time. He knows ’Shaft,’ He knows ’Walk on By,’" said Adjowa. "He knows some of the other Stax people too, like that chicken song (Rufus Thomas’ ’Do The Funky Chicken’). He loves all of that as well."

Adjowa and Hayes’ attorneys have been busy working to ensure the financial future of the family. They are optimistic the estate will be able to regain a number of valuable song copyrights that were lost during Hayes’ late-’70s bankruptcy.

"It’s just a tremendous body of work," notes Porter. "People are not aware of the magnitude of it. But he left something behind that will have permanence."

For Porter, the past year has given him time to take stock of that work which yielded genre-defining R&B songs like "Soul Man" and "Hold On, I’m Coming."

"There was something spiritual and magical about us," said Porter. "We could sit in a room and creatively finish each other’s thoughts about a direction or musical interlude or something about a song. It’s something neither one of us could define or explain.

"That was the thing that created the bond between us."

Ironically, the two men last saw each other while doing a TV interview discussing the sudden death of comedian Bernie Mac — just the day before Hayes’ own passing.

"When we finished the interview, Isaac got up a little slow and it was concerning to me," said Porter. "I just asked him, ’You OK?’ and he said ’Yeah, I’m OK. I’m all right.’ Those were the last words he said to me."

For Porter, Hayes’ life was cut short just when it seemed he was ready to return to music and performing, having recovered from a mild stroke in 2006.

"He still was recuperating but he was doing concerts," said Porter. "He was telling me how he wanted to exercise more and wanted to strengthen himself. He was on an up. He was on a significant up."

Hayes last appearance on an album was as a guest on Kirk Whalum’s 2003 CD Into My Soul, which Porter produced. Also, Hayes was working on a large number of musical tracks, with an eye toward making new CD for the revived Stax Records label. But Porter notes that "nothing was ever completed."

The global outpouring of sympathy that Hayes’ death generated was a sign of his impact as an artist, philanthropist and cultural icon. For Porter, though, the funeral and memorial services were an emotional trial.

"I never allowed myself the opportunity to go through all the breakdowns I felt in losing him. Because I had to handle a lot of the arrangements and just be strong for Isaac’s wife and child," said Porter. "But I understand now when people talk about having a void.

"I wake up every day wanting to call him. It has been the most unbelievable loss for me. Aside from losing my mother, it’s the most profound thing that I’ve ever gone through."

Porter hopes the memorial unveiling ceremony will bring some measure of closure.

"This event is a culmination, simply in the fact that there will be a place where people will always be able to see him and come pay their respects," he said. "And I think now I’ll be able to let go."

— Bob Mehr: 529-2517

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