Rudolph Isley of Isley Brothers dies at 84
/ Our Today
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Rudolph Isley, a founding member of the famous R&B group, the Isley Brothers, died yesterday at the age of 84.
A publicist for the group confirmed Isley’s death. No cause was given. “There are no words to express my feelings and the love I have for my brother. Our family will miss him. But I know he’s in a better place,” said Ronald Isley in a statement.
Rudolph, the second eldest son of the Isley clan, and brothers, O’Kelly and Ronald formed the vocal harmony group during the dawn of rock ’n’ roll in the late 1950s. They spent the ensuing decades nimbly navigating shifting styles, building a formidable body of work in the process.
Primarily a backing singer in the Isley Brothers, Rudolph retired from the group in the late 1980s, but he played a central role during the first 30 years of their existence, a period when the Isleys were one of the biggest acts in R&B.
The Isley Brothers didn’t pioneer styles so much as crystallise their essences, on singles that turned into enduring classics. Their biggest hits — “Shout” and “Twist and Shout,” which arrived in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
“This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You),” a smash during Motown’s heyday in the 1960s was followed by “It’s Your Thing” and “That Lady,” two keystones of 1970s funk — lived on not only through constant radio airplay but also through covers and sampled interpolations by the likes of the Beatles, Rod Stewart, Public Enemy, Ice Cube, the Notorious B.I.G. and Kendrick Lamar.
At the peak of the Isleys’ fame in the 1970s, Rudolph Isley could be an imposing figure. Big and burly, he sported fur-lined stage costumes created by renowned designer, Bernard Johnson, outfits accentuated by a walking cane.
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