Isaac Hayes, the 1970s king of soul and funk who became known to a new generation as a baritone-voiced cartoon chef, died last night. He was 65.

The Oscar-winning singer-song-writer, who came to prominence with the theme tune from the 1971 “blaxploitation” film Shaft, was found by members of his family, near a treadmill – which was still running – at his home in Memphis, Tennessee. The cause of death was not clear.

Hayes was one of the dominant black musicians of the 1970s alongside Al Green, James Brown and Stevie Wonder, and is credited with laying the groundwork for disco and rap music.