These Are The Songwriters Who Are Laughing All The Way To The Bank

Isaac Hayes – $12 million

Greatest Hits: Soul Man
Stax Records would not be the success that it was if it wasn’t for Isaac Hayes. He was an internal session performer who joined Stax Records prior to his singer-songwriter fame. The Tennessee-born Soul Man writer would have this song become a truly inspiring soul hit. Many films have used his music for their soundtracks, too. Shaft, the thrilling cop flick, had its soundtrack written by Hayes, which would win him an Academy Award. This was the third Academy Award to be won by an African-American man. 2003 saw him be labeled as a BMI Icon.

Isaac Hayes