R.I.P. Rudolph Isley, founding member of the Isley Brothers
Known as “The Quiet Isley,” Rudolph co-wrote many of the group’s biggest hits. He was 84
Rudolph Isley has died. As a founding member of the Isley Brothers, he co-wrote many of the band’s biggest hits and provided melodic backing vocals for three decades. Though a cause of death has not been released, TMZ confirmed that the singer died Wednesday at his home in Illinois. He was 84.
“Heaven has gained another angel,” the group wrote on Facebook. “Our hearts are heavy as we announce the passing of our beloved brother, Rudolph Isley. As we navigate through this deep sorrow, we kindly ask for understanding and respect for our family’s privacy during this challenging time. Remember to hold your loved ones close. We will miss our brother, but we know he’s in a better place. Forever in our hearts.”
The Isley Brothers were rock ’n’ roll pioneers that bridged gaps between doo-wop, gospel, R&B, and later funk and disco, thanks in no small part to “The Quiet Isley,” Rudolph. Born on April 1, 1939, Rudolph Isley began his singing career in church. As a teenager, he and his three brothers, Ronnie, O’Kelly, and Vernon, formed the Isley Brothers as a quartet in 1954. The group would disband in tragedy after Vernon was killed on his bicycle by a car. The following year, the surviving members moved to New York City and reformed as a trio with Ronnie on leads, backed by Rudolph and O’Kelly. They signed with RCA Records in 1958, and by the end of the decade, the Isley Brothers had a hit single, the party classic: “Shout.”
The Isleys could be frequently found on the Billboard charts. Their 1962 rendition of “Twist And Shout” landed in the top 20 for four weeks and also provided a blueprint for the Beatles legendary cover. Following a brief stint with Jimi Hendrix, who played guitar for the group in the mid-60s, the Isley Brothers signed with Motown Records and captured a second top 40 single, “This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You),” but languished on the label in its aftermath.
After leaving Motown in 1968, the Isleys revived their record label, T-Neck Records, named after their home base of Teaneck, NJ, and welcomed three more siblings into the group: Ernie, Marvin, and Rudolph’s brother-in-law Chris Jasper. In 1969, they released “It’s Your Thing,” which landed the Isley brothers at No. 2 on the pop charts and No. 1 on R&B. The song would begin a string of successful records for the group, and from 1973 to 1981, each of their records went gold, platinum, and multiplatinum.
In 1986, O’Kelly died of a heart attack, and Rudolph left the music business three years later to fulfill his dream of becoming a minister. He released an album of gospel songs in 1996 called Shouting For Jesus: A Loud Joyful Noise. Though he opted not to join his brothers for the group’s 1992 Rock And Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, more than a decade later, he joined them on stage for the 2004 BET Awards, where they were presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Earlier this year, Rudolph sued Ronnie over the profits from the group’s music, claiming that the name “The Isley Brothers” was jointly owned, despite Ronnie’s grip over the trademark.
Rudolph Isley is survived by his brothers Ernie and Ronnie, his wife of 65 years, Elaine Jasper, his four children, and several grandchildren.