RIP Rudolph Isley

[|High School Harry|]

Isley Brothers founding mender. The Pride of Lincoln Heights and, imho, THE Best Rock and R&B group ever.  Up there with Little Richard and Chuck Berry for making rock and roll great.

 

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/music/2023/10/12/rudolph-isley-obituary-isley-brothers/

 

Cincinnati native Rudolph Isley, founding member of The Isley Brothers, dies at 84

 

Singer-songwriter Rudolph Isley, one of the founding members of the R&B group The Isley Brothers, has died. He was 84.

Isley's brother Ronald confirmed his death in a statement to USA TODAY Thursday. A cause of death was not disclosed. TMZ was the first to report the news.

"There are no words to express my feelings and the love I have for my brother," Ronald said. "Our family will miss him. But I know he's in a better place."

Comprised of brothers Rudolph, Marvin, O'Kelly, Ronald and Ernie Isley and rounded out with musician Chris Jasper, the Isleys formed in Cincinnati and at one time included five brothers.

Raised in Lincoln Heights and Blue Ash, brothers O'Kelly, Rudolph, Ronald and Vernon Isley started out singing in church. They began performing together in 1954 and appeared on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour, winning the competition. The group disbanded in 1955 after 13-year old Vernon was struck and killed by a car as he was riding his bike in his neighborhood. (**Vernon was hit and killed by a Mr Softee ice cream truck)

 

n 1957, with their parents' blessing, the remaining brothers decided to regroup and move to New York, with brother Ronnie assuming lead vocals. They signed with RCA Records and in 1959 wrote and recorded their first hit, "Shout."

They scored their first Top 40 single with Scepter Records in 1962 with the song "Twist and Shout." In 1964, they left Scepter and formed T-Neck Records, with Jimi Hendrix playing lead guitar for the brothers' band on several singles. In 1969, the brothers signed a distribution deal with Buddah Records and found success with "It's Your Thing," which reached #2 on the Hot 100 singles chart.

e Isley Brothers are the only act to have singles reach the Billboard Hot 100 during the 1950s, 1960s, 1970, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.

Rudolph Isley was one of the group's primary songwriters and co-wrote the Brothers' breakthrough "Shout," released in 1959. After being immortalized in the 1978 comedy "Animal House," the song has been used as a rallying cry at sporting events ever since. 

 

The group went on to enjoy other hits with songs such as "Twist and Shout," "It's Your Thing," "That Lady" and "Fight The Power." When their song "Contagious" climbed the charts in 2001, it gave them the distinction of being the act with the longest chart span on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart at 42 years.

The Isley Brothers have been nominated for multiple Grammy awards and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2014, the band also received a Lifetime Achievement award from the Recording Academy.

 

They were inducted into the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame in 2021.

The band was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in June 2022. Representing the group at the ceremony were Elaine Isley Goodstone, Ernie Isley and Ronald Isley. During the induction, Ernie Isley reminded guests that their early hit “Shout” was recorded six decades ago and the reach of their music would go on for years, prompting the Beatles to cover them. The two men then joined up for a medley of hits that included “That Lady," “It’s Your Thing” and “Between the Sheets.” (Ernie, the youngest and late comer to the group plays the brilliant guitar solo on "Who's That Lady")

[claptonrocks]

31 minutes ago, High School Harry said:

Isley Brothers founding mender. The Pride of Lincoln Heights and, imho, THE Best Rock and R&B group ever.  Up there with Little Richard and Chuck Berry for making rock and roll great.

 

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/music/2023/10/12/rudolph-isley-obituary-isley-brothers/

 

Cincinnati native Rudolph Isley, founding member of The Isley Brothers, dies at 84

 

Singer-songwriter Rudolph Isley, one of the founding members of the R&B group The Isley Brothers, has died. He was 84.

Isley's brother Ronald confirmed his death in a statement to USA TODAY Thursday. A cause of death was not disclosed. TMZ was the first to report the news.

"There are no words to express my feelings and the love I have for my brother," Ronald said. "Our family will miss him. But I know he's in a better place."

Comprised of brothers Rudolph, Marvin, O'Kelly, Ronald and Ernie Isley and rounded out with musician Chris Jasper, the Isleys formed in Cincinnati and at one time included five brothers.

Raised in Lincoln Heights and Blue Ash, brothers O'Kelly, Rudolph, Ronald and Vernon Isley started out singing in church. They began performing together in 1954 and appeared on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour, winning the competition. The group disbanded in 1955 after 13-year old Vernon was struck and killed by a car as he was riding his bike in his neighborhood. (**Vernon was hit and killed by a Mr Softee ice cream truck)

 

n 1957, with their parents' blessing, the remaining brothers decided to regroup and move to New York, with brother Ronnie assuming lead vocals. They signed with RCA Records and in 1959 wrote and recorded their first hit, "Shout."

They scored their first Top 40 single with Scepter Records in 1962 with the song "Twist and Shout." In 1964, they left Scepter and formed T-Neck Records, with Jimi Hendrix playing lead guitar for the brothers' band on several singles. In 1969, the brothers signed a distribution deal with Buddah Records and found success with "It's Your Thing," which reached #2 on the Hot 100 singles chart.

e Isley Brothers are the only act to have singles reach the Billboard Hot 100 during the 1950s, 1960s, 1970, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.

Rudolph Isley was one of the group's primary songwriters and co-wrote the Brothers' breakthrough "Shout," released in 1959. After being immortalized in the 1978 comedy "Animal House," the song has been used as a rallying cry at sporting events ever since. 

 

The group went on to enjoy other hits with songs such as "Twist and Shout," "It's Your Thing," "That Lady" and "Fight The Power." When their song "Contagious" climbed the charts in 2001, it gave them the distinction of being the act with the longest chart span on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart at 42 years.

The Isley Brothers have been nominated for multiple Grammy awards and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2014, the band also received a Lifetime Achievement award from the Recording Academy.

 

They were inducted into the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame in 2021.

The band was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in June 2022. Representing the group at the ceremony were Elaine Isley Goodstone, Ernie Isley and Ronald Isley. During the induction, Ernie Isley reminded guests that their early hit “Shout” was recorded six decades ago and the reach of their music would go on for years, prompting the Beatles to cover them. The two men then joined up for a medley of hits that included “That Lady," “It’s Your Thing” and “Between the Sheets.” (Ernie, the youngest and late comer to the group plays the brilliant guitar solo on "Who's That Lady")

Remarkable career by one of the most original R&B groups ever.

 

Gritty R&B with the addition of their own funk made their style unique.

 

Big fan of many of their songs thru the decades.

 

 

[claptonrocks]

6 hours ago, High School Harry said:

Isley Brothers founding mender. The Pride of Lincoln Heights and, imho, THE Best Rock and R&B group ever.  Up there with Little Richard and Chuck Berry for making rock and roll great.

 

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/music/2023/10/12/rudolph-isley-obituary-isley-brothers/

 

Cincinnati native Rudolph Isley, founding member of The Isley Brothers, dies at 84

 

Singer-songwriter Rudolph Isley, one of the founding members of the R&B group The Isley Brothers, has died. He was 84.

Isley's brother Ronald confirmed his death in a statement to USA TODAY Thursday. A cause of death was not disclosed. TMZ was the first to report the news.

"There are no words to express my feelings and the love I have for my brother," Ronald said. "Our family will miss him. But I know he's in a better place."

Comprised of brothers Rudolph, Marvin, O'Kelly, Ronald and Ernie Isley and rounded out with musician Chris Jasper, the Isleys formed in Cincinnati and at one time included five brothers.

Raised in Lincoln Heights and Blue Ash, brothers O'Kelly, Rudolph, Ronald and Vernon Isley started out singing in church. They began performing together in 1954 and appeared on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour, winning the competition. The group disbanded in 1955 after 13-year old Vernon was struck and killed by a car as he was riding his bike in his neighborhood. (**Vernon was hit and killed by a Mr Softee ice cream truck)

 

n 1957, with their parents' blessing, the remaining brothers decided to regroup and move to New York, with brother Ronnie assuming lead vocals. They signed with RCA Records and in 1959 wrote and recorded their first hit, "Shout."

They scored their first Top 40 single with Scepter Records in 1962 with the song "Twist and Shout." In 1964, they left Scepter and formed T-Neck Records, with Jimi Hendrix playing lead guitar for the brothers' band on several singles. In 1969, the brothers signed a distribution deal with Buddah Records and found success with "It's Your Thing," which reached #2 on the Hot 100 singles chart.

e Isley Brothers are the only act to have singles reach the Billboard Hot 100 during the 1950s, 1960s, 1970, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.

Rudolph Isley was one of the group's primary songwriters and co-wrote the Brothers' breakthrough "Shout," released in 1959. After being immortalized in the 1978 comedy "Animal House," the song has been used as a rallying cry at sporting events ever since. 

 

The group went on to enjoy other hits with songs such as "Twist and Shout," "It's Your Thing," "That Lady" and "Fight The Power." When their song "Contagious" climbed the charts in 2001, it gave them the distinction of being the act with the longest chart span on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart at 42 years.

The Isley Brothers have been nominated for multiple Grammy awards and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2014, the band also received a Lifetime Achievement award from the Recording Academy.

 

They were inducted into the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame in 2021.

The band was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in June 2022. Representing the group at the ceremony were Elaine Isley Goodstone, Ernie Isley and Ronald Isley. During the induction, Ernie Isley reminded guests that their early hit “Shout” was recorded six decades ago and the reach of their music would go on for years, prompting the Beatles to cover them. The two men then joined up for a medley of hits that included “That Lady," “It’s Your Thing” and “Between the Sheets.” (Ernie, the youngest and late comer to the group plays the brilliant guitar solo on "Who's That Lady")

His brilliant playing on *Who That Lady* must be attributed to Hendrix who Ernie learned so much from his days of living, touring and a part of the Eisley famiily.

 

 

 

[PatternMaster]

Ernie is the best guitar player I've ever seen

[Cat]

7 hours ago, PatternMaster said:

Ernie is the best guitar player I've ever seen

That's a strong statement! But he is pretty fucking good. Voyage to Atlantis is one of my faves.

 

BTW, is there a better sexy time song than Between the Sheets? i don't think so.

[claptonrocks]

13 hours ago, PatternMaster said:

Ernie is the best guitar player I've ever seen

One of the best yes.

Hendrix  Prince  Clapton  Van Halen and Santana

have to be in conversations as well.

[PatternMaster]

On 10/14/2023 at 8:38 AM, Cat said:

That's a strong statement! But he is pretty fucking good. Voyage to Atlantis is one of my faves.

 

BTW, is there a better sexy time song than Between the Sheets? i don't think so.

 

I saw Ron and Ernie in concert a few years ago and Ernie had an incredible solo where he played the guitar with his teeth.

 

Here's a great article about him from Guitar.com

 

Quote

“I met him when I was 11 years old,” he chuckles. “I was always doing homework, or reading when Jimi was practising in our house, but in reality, I was observing him maybe subconsciously. In addition to his unbelievable talent Jimi was a really gentle spirit. Both Ronald and Kelly [O’Kelley, the eldest Isley sibling] were feeling Jimi was someone they could trust so that’s why he was hired.

Image: Josh Brasted / WireImage

“As he didn’t have a place to stay, he lived in a spare bedroom in our home. Jimi was the only guy in the band to do that, ever. He was not charged for rent or any of the meals he ate. Our minds were blown by his playing and his calmness. Plus my brothers got him his first Fender so his mind was blown, too! And so it just so happened that the Isleys had this super-duper guitarist in their lineup.”

https://guitar.com/features/interviews/ernie-isley-brothers/

 

[Cat]

5 hours ago, PatternMaster said:

 

I saw Ron and Ernie in concert a few years ago and Ernie had an incredible solo where he played the guitar with his teeth.

 

Here's a great article about him from Guitar.com

 

 

Thanks for sharing - I love this shit. Don't mean to take away from the memory of Rudolph Isley, but I'm a guitar player, so...

[PatternMaster]

29 minutes ago, Cat said:

Thanks for sharing - I love this shit. Don't mean to take away from the memory of Rudolph Isley, but I'm a guitar player, so...

 

Absolutely, RIP to Rudolph Isley, that group is legendary and a huge source of pride for many people who grew up in Zone 15. They are one of the best R&B groups ever, they had #1 songs in 5 decades, that is incredible and will probably never be topped.