music

SHIT.

by theogeo

Bernie Mac’s passing is sad enough. But Isaac Hayes?

I was lucky enough to have Hayes as my commencement speaker when I graduated from college in 2004. Yes, he said “Hello, children” to us. The acoustics were shit so I had a hard time hearing a lot of the rest of his speech, even though I was in the front row. When it was time to do the deed, I walked across the stage, got my diploma, shook his hand, gazed up at him and heard him say “Best of luck” to me. Or something like that. I was starstruck and also in the thick of completing a major phase in my life so my memory of the exact moment is kind of … iffy. But still, its awesomeness sticks.

I’m going back to bed.

7 thoughts on “SHIT.”

  1. I was just about to write almost this same post…except that Isaac Hayes spoke at my 1998 graduation. He might’ve used the same speech for yours!

  3. That is SO cool, you guys. I got to shake his hand at the TN Bicentennial Celebration and thought that was coool.

    It’s kind of surreal to now be losing those who have influenced our generation more and more. Depressing and surreal.

  4. I didn’t attend my college graduation. I’m pretty sure that someone from the Lee Corporation delivered a commencement address.

  5. I’m starting to feel old. First Estelle Getty, and now this.

    I love Bernie Mac. Craig is a Cedric the Entertainer guy, which means we’ll probably break up eventually.

  6. R.I.P. Mr. Hayes

    And because I’m lazy and don’t feel like backing up to the love letter to Memphis blog: Amen. Though I live in Jackson, I’ve lived in Nashville-area, and I work in Memphis–my second home–so it is always hard to convince people why I am a Memphis type of person. You just can’t be both–Memphis and Nashville–and I always refer naysayers to Peter Taylor’s book A Summons to Memphis to settle this matter.

  7. Wait, wait wait—Isaac Hayes spoke at MTSU’s graduation?? I don’t even know who I got in 2003. Probably some asshat no one’s ever heard of, I’m sure.

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