Rudolph Isley, founding member of the classic R&B group Isley Brothers, has died at age 84. The confirmation came from his brother Ron Isley in a press release. “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 is in a better place,” Ron said, without specifying the cause of death.
The legacy of the Isley brothers
The Isley Brothers group has had various lineups over the years, but Rudolph was around from the original trio of brothers, formed in the late 1950s, until his retirement in 1989, when he stepped aside to become a pastor. During their career, the group released classics such as “Shout”, co-written with Rudolph, which became their first single to enter the hit parade (Billboard Hot 100) in 1959. Later came other hits such as “Twist and Shout”, which became even better known in the Beatles’ version, and “This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)”. In 1970, they won a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group with the funk “It’s Your Thing.”
The Isley Brothers have sold more than 18 million records in the United States alone and are one of the few groups to have charted songs across six different decades. Sixteen of his albums have entered the Top 40, and 13 of these albums have received gold, platinum, or multi-platinum certifications. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 by Little Richard and also received a special Grammy Award for career achievement in 2014.
The Isley Brothers’ music has been extensively sampled and re-recorded. In addition to the Beatles’ huge success with “Twist and Shout”, Rod Stewart also covered “This Old Heart of Mine” in 1975 and re-recorded the song with Ron in 1989. In 1993, “Footsteps in the Dark” was Ice Cube’s championship in “It’s a Beautiful Day.” The group’s music has also appeared in numerous films and TV shows, including most recently in “The Blacklist” (2021), “Bar Doce Lar” (2021), and “Ingresso para o ParaÃso” (2022).
Quarrels between brothers
However, the success caused the brothers to break up. This year, Rudolph sued Ron, seeking a judgment declaring him the owner of 50 percent of the Isley Brothers band name. The lawsuit requested “an accounting and payment of the plaintiff’s share of the profits that the defendant would have received from the exploitation of the trademark (band name)” since he departed from the group.
Source: Terra
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