The Isley Brothers ( ) are an American musical group originally from
Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
,
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
, that began as a vocal trio consisting of brothers
O'Kelly Isley Jr.
O'Kelly "Kelly" Isley Jr. (December 25, 1937 – March 31, 1986) was an American singer and one of the founding members of the family group the Isley Brothers.
Biography
The eldest of the Isley Brothers, Kelly started singing with his brothe ...
,
Rudolph Isley
Rudolph Bernard Isley (born April 1, 1939 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American singer-songwriter and is one of the founding members of The Isley Brothers.
Life and career
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Rudy began singing in church at a youn ...
and
Ronald Isley
Ronald Isley (; born May 21, 1941) is an American recording artist, songwriter, record producer, and occasional actor. Isley is the lead singer and founding member of the family music group The Isley Brothers.
Early life
Born in 1941 to Sally ...
in the 1950s. With a career spanning over seven decades, the group has enjoyed one of the "longest, most influential, and most diverse careers in the pantheon of popular music".
Together with a fourth brother, Vernon, the group performed gospel music until Vernon's death a few years after its formation. After moving to
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
in the late 1950s, the group had their first successes during these early years, and rose to prominence in 1959 with their fourth single, "
Shout", written by the three brothers, which became their first single to chart on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100, and sold over a million copies. In the 1960s, the group recorded songs for a variety of
labels
A label (as distinct from signage) is a piece of paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product, on which is written or printed information or symbols about the product or item. Information printed dir ...
, including the top 20 single "
Twist and Shout
"Twist and Shout" is a 1961 song written by Phil Medley and Bert Berns (later credited as "Bert Russell"). It was originally recorded by the Top Notes, but it did not become a hit in the record charts until it was reworked by the Isley Brothers ...
" and the Motown single "
This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)
"This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)" is a Holland–Dozier–Holland song that was a hit for American musical group the Isley Brothers in January 1966 during their brief tenure on Motown's Tamla label. Featuring Ronald Isley on lead vocal, ...
", before recording and releasing the
Grammy Award-winning hit "
It's Your Thing
"It's Your Thing" is a funk single by The Isley Brothers. Released in 1969, the anthem was an artistic response to Motown chief Berry Gordy's demanding hold on his artists after the Isleys left the label in late 1968.
The lyrics of the chorus, w ...
" on their own label,
T-Neck Records.
The inclusion of younger brothers
Ernie Isley
Ernest Isley (born March 7, 1952) is an American musician, best known as a member of the musical ensemble The Isley Brothers, and also the splinter group Isley-Jasper-Isley.
Biography
Ernie was born in Cincinnati, where his older brothers for ...
(lead guitar, drums) and
Marvin Isley
Marvin Isley (August 18, 1953 – June 6, 2010)
– accessed June 2010 was the youngest member of the family music grou ...
(bass guitar), and Rudolph's brother-in-law
Chris Jasper
Christopher Howard Jasper (born December 30, 1951) Allmusic biography/ref> is an American singer, composer, and producer. Jasper is a former member of the Isley Brothers and Isley-Jasper-Isley and is responsible for writing and producing the ...
(keyboards, synthesizers), in 1973 turned the original vocal trio into a complete band and led to the group’s reaching the height of their success. For the next full decade, they recorded a string of top-selling albums including ''
3 + 3'', ''
Between the Sheets'', and ''
The Heat Is On'', with the latter peaking at number one on the
''Billboard'' 200 chart. The six-member band splintered in 1983, with Ernie, Marvin, and Chris Jasper forming the short-lived spinoff group
Isley-Jasper-Isley
Isley-Jasper-Isley was a splinter group
A schism ( , , or, less commonly, ) is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization, movement, or religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a split in what had ...
. The oldest member, O'Kelly, died in 1986. Afterwards Rudolph and Ronald released a pair of albums as a duo before Rudolph retired to a life in the Christian ministry in 1989. After multiple lineup changes, the remaining duo of Ronald and Ernie achieved mainstream success with the albums ''
Mission to Please
''Mission to Please'' is the 27th studio album by The Isley Brothers, released on May 14, 1996, on Island Records. It was a return to commercial glory for the group in the years following their platinum-certified album '' Between the Sheets'' (1 ...
'' (1996), ''
Eternal
Eternal(s) or The Eternal may refer to:
* Eternity, an infinite amount of time, or a timeless state
* Immortality or eternal life
* God, the supreme being, creator deity, and principal object of faith in monotheism
Comics, film and television
* ...
'' (2001) and ''
Body Kiss
''Body Kiss'' is the 29th studio album by The Isley Brothers on the DreamWorks label. Almost solely written, arranged, composed and produced by longtime collaborator R. Kelly as well as hitmakers Tim & Bob, the album yielded the singles "What Wo ...
'' (2003). ''Eternal'' spawned the top 20 hit "
Contagious
Contagious may refer to:
* Contagious disease
Literature
* Contagious (magazine), a marketing publication
* ''Contagious'' (novel), a science fiction thriller novel by Scott Sigler
Music
Albums
*''Contagious'' (Peggy Scott-Adams album), 1997
* ...
". , the Isley Brothers continue to perform under the lineup of Ronald and Ernie.
The Isley Brothers have sold over 18 million units in the United States alone. With their first major hit charting in 1959 ("Shout"), and their last one in 2001 ("Contagious"), they are among the few groups ever to have hit the Billboard Hot 100 with new music in six different decades. Sixteen of their albums charted in the Top 40 and thirteen of those albums have been
certified gold, platinum or multi-platinum by the RIAA. The brothers have been honored by several musical institutions, including
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music an ...
, which inducted them in 1992.
Five years later, they were added to
Hollywood's Rockwalk, and in 2003 they were inducted to the
Vocal Group Hall of Fame
The Vocal Group Hall of Fame (VGHF) is an American-based hall of fame that honors vocal groups throughout the world in every genre of music. Headquartered in the Columbia Theatre in Sharon, Pennsylvania, it includes a theater and a museum.
It was ...
.
They received the
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is a special Grammy Award that is awarded by The Recording Academy to "performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording."
...
in 2014.
Career
Origins and initial recordings
The Isley Brothers originally came from Cincinnati, Ohio, and were raised in the city's
Lincoln Heights suburb, settling in the satellite town of
Blue Ash
''Fraxinus quadrangulata'', the blue ash, is a species of ash native primarily to the Midwestern United States from Oklahoma to Michigan, as well as the Bluegrass region of Kentucky and the Nashville Basin region of Tennessee. Isolated populati ...
when they were teenagers. Their father, O'Kelly Isley Sr., a former
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
sailor
A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship.
The profession of the s ...
and
vaudeville
Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...
performer from
Durham, North Carolina
Durham ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the county seat of Durham County, North Carolina, Durham County. Small portions of the city limits extend into Orange County, North Carolina, Orange County and Wake County, North Carol ...
, and their mother Sallye, from Georgia, guided the elder four Isley boys in their singing in church. The brothers began performing together in 1954, patterning themselves after groups such as
Billy Ward and His Dominoes and
The Dixie Hummingbirds
The Dixie Hummingbirds are an influential American gospel music group, spanning more than 80 years from the jubilee quartet style of the 1920s, through the "hard gospel" quartet style of gospel's golden age in the 1940s and 1950s, to the eclecti ...
. Eventually, they landed a spot on
Ted Mack's ''Amateur Hour'', where they won the competition (their prize was a watch). With Vernon singing lead vocals, the quartet soon began touring all over the
eastern US, performing in a variety of churches. When Vernon was thirteen, he was killed by a car that struck him as he was riding his bike in his neighborhood. Devastated, the remaining trio disbanded.
Eventually persuaded to regroup, with Ronnie assuming the lead vocal position, the brothers decided to record popular music and left Cincinnati for New York in 1957 with their parents' blessings. The group got in touch with Richard Barrett, who soon had them in contact with a variety of New York record producers. They eventually had their first recorded songs produced by
George Goldner
George Goldner (February 9, 1918 – April 15, 1970) was an American record label owner, record producer and promoter who played an important role in establishing the popularity of rock and roll in the 1950s, by recording and promoting many ...
, including "Angels Cried" and "The Cow Jumped Over the Moon" for the Teenage, Cindy, and Mark X imprints. The songs were only regional hits, however. By 1959, the group had
landed a recording deal with
RCA Records
RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
. Later that year, the group recorded their first composition together, "
Shout", mixing their brand of gospel vocals and doo-wop harmonies, a song derived from a
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, club performance in which the brothers had covered
Jackie Wilson
Jack Leroy Wilson Jr. (June 9, 1934 – January 21, 1984) was an American singer and performer of the 1950s and 60s. He was a prominent figure in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. Nicknamed "Mr. Excitement", he was considered a mas ...
's "
Lonely Teardrops
"Lonely Teardrops" is a song written by Berry Gordy Jr., Gwen Gordy and Roquel "Billy" Davis, first recorded and released as a single in 1958 by R&B singer Jackie Wilson on the Brunswick label. It is a 1999 Grammy Hall of Fame Inductee. The r ...
". The original version of the song peaked at number 47 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and never reached the R&B chart. Nevertheless, it sold over one million copies and was awarded a
gold disc
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
by the
RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
.
Follow-up recordings on RCA failed to chart and the brothers left the label in 1961, and later signed with
Scepter Records
Scepter Records was an American record company founded in 1959 by Florence Greenberg.
History
Florence Greenberg founded Scepter Records from the $4,000 she received after she sold Tiara Records and the Shirelles to Decca Records. When the Shire ...
. In 1962, the Isley Brothers scored their first top 40 hit with the
Bert Berns
Bertrand Russell Berns (November 8, 1929 – December 30, 1967), also known as Bert Russell and (occasionally) Russell Byrd, was an American songwriter and record producer of the 1960s. His songwriting credits include " Twist and Shout", " Piec ...
song "
Twist and Shout
"Twist and Shout" is a 1961 song written by Phil Medley and Bert Berns (later credited as "Bert Russell"). It was originally recorded by the Top Notes, but it did not become a hit in the record charts until it was reworked by the Isley Brothers ...
", which reached number 17 on the Hot 100 and number 2 on the R&B chart, staying on the charts for 19 weeks. The song had been produced by Berns for the brothers to teach then-struggling producer
Phil Spector
Harvey Phillip Spector (born Harvey Philip Spector; December 26, 1939January 16, 2021) was an American record producer and songwriter, best known for his innovative recording practices and entrepreneurship in the 1960s, followed decades later by ...
how to produce a hit.
Moving their entire operations to
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
,
[Wilner, Paul]
"Isley Brothers: A Family Affair"
''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', March 13, 1977. Accessed September 18, 2011. "WHEN Sallye Isley moved her brood of children from Cincinnati to Englewood in the summer of 1959, she was participating in a show-business phenomenon.... While their older brothers toured America, the younger Isley boys enrolled successively in Englewood Junior High and Dwight Morrow High School.... Right now, the brothers reside near enough to each other to keep in close touch. Ronald lives in Teaneck, Kelly Jr. in Alpine, Rudolph in Haworth and Ernie in Englewood." the brothers continued to struggle with recordings, and formed
T-Neck Records in 1964. During that period,
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...
began playing lead guitar for the brothers' band. Bringing Hendrix with them to the studio, they recorded the song "
Testify
In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter.
Etymology
The words "testimony" and "testify" both derive from the Latin word ''testis'', referring to the notion of a disinterested third-party witness.
La ...
". Later, Hendrix contributed guitar to another Isleys single, "Move On Over and Let Me Dance", which was recorded for T-Neck and distributed by
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
. After both songs failed to chart and Hendrix left the Isleys for good in 1965, the brothers signed with
Motown Records
Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmant ...
. Early the following year, the group released their second Top 40 hit single, "
This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)
"This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)" is a Holland–Dozier–Holland song that was a hit for American musical group the Isley Brothers in January 1966 during their brief tenure on Motown's Tamla label. Featuring Ronald Isley on lead vocal, ...
". While the Isley Brothers' recordings with Motown were more successful than their earlier works, they struggled to score a follow-up Top 40 hit with the label. They left Motown in 1968.
Major success
Resurrecting their T-Neck label that year, the brothers signed a distribution deal with
Buddah Records
Buddah Records (later known as Buddha Records) was an American record label founded in 1967 in New York City. The label was born out of Kama Sutra Records, an MGM Records-distributed label, which remained a key imprint following Buddah's foundin ...
and issued "
It's Your Thing
"It's Your Thing" is a funk single by The Isley Brothers. Released in 1969, the anthem was an artistic response to Motown chief Berry Gordy's demanding hold on his artists after the Isleys left the label in late 1968.
The lyrics of the chorus, w ...
" in February 1969. The song, which featured the first appearance of Ernie Isley on bass, became their biggest success to date, reaching number 2 on the Hot 100 and number 1 on the R&B chart. The song's parent album, ''
It's Our Thing'', reached number 22 on the
Pop LP chart, and "It's Your Thing" became the group's second million-seller and won them a Grammy Award. The release of "It's Your Thing" brought record label conflicts between the Isleys and Motown, as Motown argued that the group had recorded the song while still under their Motown contract. A 1975 court decision found in the Isleys' favor.
In June 1969, the brothers independently recorded their concert at
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium is a baseball stadium located in the Bronx, New York City. It is the home field of the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball, and New York City FC of Major League Soccer.
Opened in April 2009, the stadium replaced the origi ...
which featured an array of artists. The live album ''
Live at Yankee Stadium
''Live at Yankee Stadium'' is a 1969 live album by The Isley Brothers, released on their own T-Neck label. While the Isleys appear in this live album, it is actually a live showcase by the group to conjoin artists that signed to their T-Neck la ...
'' was released later that year. They also filmed the concert which was released as a documentary titled
''It's Your Thing'' in theaters in August 1970.
By 1971, the younger Isley brothers Ernie and Marvin and their brother-in-law Chris Jasper started to add to the band's music, first performing on the Isleys' ''
Givin' It Back''. The album featured reinterpretations of rock songs mixing them with funk and gospel elements. The new members played an even bigger role in the 1972 album, ''
Brother, Brother, Brother''. Both albums yielded Top 40 hits, including "
Love the One You're With
"Love the One You're With" is a song by folk rock musician Stephen Stills. It was released as the lead single from his debut self-titled studio album in November 1970. The song, inspired by a remark Stills heard from musician Billy Preston, be ...
" and "
Pop That Thang". By the end of their Buddah tenure in 1973, the brothers had signed a distribution deal with
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America
Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...
and made Ernie, Marvin, and Chris official members. In 1973, the Isleys released ''
3 + 3'', which included the Top 10 hit single "
That Lady
''That Lady'' is a 1955 British-Spanish historical romantic drama film directed by Terence Young and produced by Sy Bartlett and Ray Kinnoch. It stars Olivia de Havilland, Gilbert Roland, and Paul Scofield.
The film is based on a 1946 hist ...
" and a UK Top 10 cover of "
Summer Breeze". Incorporating hard rock and folk-rock as well as funk and soulful balladry, the album became their breakthrough hit, eventually selling over two million copies.
The following year, the album ''
Live It Up'' also reached platinum. In 1975, the brothers made one of their most successful recordings, ''
The Heat Is On'', which featured the hits "
Fight the Power Fight the Power may refer to:
* "Fight the Power (Part 1 & 2)", a 1975 song by the Isley Brothers
* "Fight the Power" (Public Enemy song) (1989)
* '' Fight the Power... Live!'', a 1989 music video compilation by Public Enemy
* '' Fight the Power: G ...
" and "
For the Love of You
"For the Love of You" (sometimes titled "For the Love of You (Part 1 & 2)") is a song recorded by the Isley Brothers, who released the song as the second single off their 1975 album, '' The Heat Is On''. The record showcased the two sides of the ...
", and became their first album to reach number 1 on the Pop LP chart, going double-platinum at two million copies sold. The brothers would have more hit albums, including ''
Harvest for the World
''Harvest for the World'' is the fourteenth studio album released by The Isley Brothers on their T-Neck imprint on May 29, 1976.
The album was remastered and expanded for inclusion in the 2015 released CD box set ''The RCA Victor & T-Neck Albu ...
'' (1976), ''
Go for Your Guns
''Go for Your Guns'' is the fifteenth album by the Isley Brothers. Released on April 16, 1977, on their T-Neck label, it was also the band's fifth album to be distributed by their deal with Epic. Released in mid-April 1977, the album peaked a mo ...
'' (1977), and ''
Showdown
A showdown is a duel. The term may also refer to:
Places
* Showdown Ski Area, in Montana, United States
Books
* ''Showdown'' (Amado novel), a 1984 novel by Jorge Amado
* ''Showdown'' (Dekker novel), a 2006 novel by Ted Dekker
* ''Showdown'' ( ...
'' (1978), all of which went platinum, and yielded several Top 40 pop and R&B singles and popular radio cuts. By 1979, with the release of ''
Winner Takes All'', the brothers had incorporated disco and
quiet storm
Quiet storm is a radio format and genre of R&B, performed in a smooth, romantic, jazz-influenced style. It was named after the title song on Smokey Robinson's 1975 album ''A Quiet Storm''.
The radio format was pioneered in 1976 by Melvin Lin ...
music into their work. The Isley Brothers' final album under their six-member lineup, ''
Between the Sheets'' (1983), sold more than two million copies. By then, financial struggles, creative difficulties, and other issues affected the group. Shortly after the success of ''Between the Sheets'', Ernie, Marvin, and Chris left the Isley Brothers and formed
Isley-Jasper-Isley
Isley-Jasper-Isley was a splinter group
A schism ( , , or, less commonly, ) is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization, movement, or religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a split in what had ...
. They later recorded the hit "
Caravan of Love
"Caravan of Love" is a 1985 R&B hit originally recorded by Isley-Jasper-Isley, the second half of the Isley Brothers' ''3 + 3'' lineup of the 1970s.
Original Isley-Jasper-Isley version
After breaking away from the family group, the group (not ...
".
Later years
In 1985, the original Isleys trio of O'Kelly, Rudy, and Ronnie signed with
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
and recorded and released the album ''
Masterpiece
A masterpiece, ''magnum opus'' (), or ''chef-d’œuvre'' (; ; ) in modern use is a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or a work of outstanding creativity, ...
''. Shortly a year after its release, Kelly Isley died from a heart attack while battling cancer, in March 1986. The remaining duo of Ron and Rudy released the
Angela Winbush
Angela Lisa Winbush (born January 18, 1955) is an American R&B/soul singer-songwriter, musician and record producer who rose to fame first in the 1980s R&B duo René & Angela, also scoring hits as a solo artist. To date, Winbush has sold over ...
-produced albums, ''
Smooth Sailin''' in 1987 and ''
Spend the Night'' in 1989. Shortly after the latter release, Rudy retired from the music industry and followed life in the
ministry
Ministry may refer to:
Government
* Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister
* Ministry (government department), a department of a government
Religion
* Christian ...
. Ron put the group on a brief hiatus in 1990 while he recorded solo material. In 1991, Ron revived the group; Ernie Isley and brother Marvin returned to the fold. that year they released the album, ''
Tracks of Life
''Tracks of Life'' is an album by the American musical group the Isley Brothers, released in 1992. The group was made up of Ernie Isley and Marvin Isley backing up brother Ronald. The album peaked at No. 140 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and No. 19 on ...
''. Five years later, Ron Isley gained popularity as video villain Frank Biggs (or Mr. Biggs) in the music video for
R. Kelly
Robert Sylvester Kelly (born January 8, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and sex offender convicted of racketeering and multiple sex offenses.
During his recording career, Kelly sold over 75 million records worldwi ...
's hit "
Down Low (Nobody Has to Know)", which included the Isley Brothers as featured artists. The success of the song and its video helped the brothers' 1996 album ''
Mission to Please
''Mission to Please'' is the 27th studio album by The Isley Brothers, released on May 14, 1996, on Island Records. It was a return to commercial glory for the group in the years following their platinum-certified album '' Between the Sheets'' (1 ...
'' reach platinum status.
That same year, Marvin Isley's career ended after a bout with diabetes forced him to have both of his legs amputated. Ron and Ernie have carried on as a duo from then on. In 2001, the duo released their best-selling album in years with the ''
Eternal
Eternal(s) or The Eternal may refer to:
* Eternity, an infinite amount of time, or a timeless state
* Immortality or eternal life
* God, the supreme being, creator deity, and principal object of faith in monotheism
Comics, film and television
* ...
'' album, which sold over two million copies and featured the top 20 hit single "
Contagious
Contagious may refer to:
* Contagious disease
Literature
* Contagious (magazine), a marketing publication
* ''Contagious'' (novel), a science fiction thriller novel by Scott Sigler
Music
Albums
*''Contagious'' (Peggy Scott-Adams album), 1997
* ...
", making the Isley Brothers the only act to reach the Hot 100 (in fact, that chart's top 50) during the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. Two years later, the brothers' ''
Body Kiss
''Body Kiss'' is the 29th studio album by The Isley Brothers on the DreamWorks label. Almost solely written, arranged, composed and produced by longtime collaborator R. Kelly as well as hitmakers Tim & Bob, the album yielded the singles "What Wo ...
'' album peaked at number-one on the ''Billboard'' 200 album chart, becoming their second to reach the position and the first to do so since ''The Heat Is On''. Their next two released albums included 2006's ''
Baby Makin' Music'' and the 2007 holiday album ''I'll Be Home for Christmas''. In 2007, the Isleys' career was interrupted by Ron Isley's three-year prison sentence for tax evasion.
He was released in 2010. In June of that year, youngest brother Marvin Isley died in Chicago after his longtime bout with diabetes. During the group's hiatus, Ernie toured as part of the ''Experience Hendrix'' concert festival, while Ron Isley released his first solo album, ''Mr. I'', in 2010. A year later, Ron and Ernie reunited and have since performed on the road.
![Ron and Ernie Isley](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Ron_and_Ernie_Isley.jpg)
In 1993, The Isley Brothers song "
Footsteps in the Dark" was sampled by hip-hop artist
Ice Cube
An ice cube is a small piece of ice, which is typically rectangular as viewed from above and trapezoidal as viewed from the side. Ice cubes are products of mechanical refrigeration and are usually produced to cool beverages. They may be produc ...
for the hit single "
It Was a Good Day
"It Was a Good Day" is a song by American rapper Ice Cube, released on February 23, 1993 as the second single from his third solo album, '' The Predator'' (1992). The song peaked at No. 7 on the ''Billboard'' Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and No. ...
".
In 1994, The Isley Brothers song "
Between the Sheets" was sampled by
The Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in East Coast hip hop and particularly gangsta ...
for his hit single "
Big Poppa
"Big Poppa" is a song by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G. It was released as the second single from his first studio album '' Ready to Die''. It features a sample of the song, " Between the Sheets" written by The Isley Brothers. "Big Poppa" w ...
". That same year, R&B singer
Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and " ...
included a cover version of "
(At Your Best) You Are Love" on her debut album. "
Luxurious
"Luxurious" is a song by American singer and songwriter Gwen Stefani from her debut solo studio album, '' Love. Angel. Music. Baby.'' (2004). Written by Stefani and fellow No Doubt bandmate Tony Kanal, the track contains a sample of the Isley ...
", the fifth single from No Doubt frontwoman
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani (; born October 3, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, fashion designer and actress. She is a co-founder, lead vocalist, and the primary songwriter of the band No Doubt, whose singles include "Just a Girl", "Spiderwebs ...
's 2004 multi-platinum solo debut ''
Love. Angel. Music. Baby.'' also benefited from a prominent sample of "
Between the Sheets".
After the break-up of
Isley-Jasper-Isley
Isley-Jasper-Isley was a splinter group
A schism ( , , or, less commonly, ) is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization, movement, or religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a split in what had ...
in 1987, Chris Jasper continued as a solo artist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer, forming his own independent record label, Gold City Records. He has since released 14 solo albums, including 4 gospel albums. He released the #1 R&B hit "Superbad" in 1988, a song which emphasized the importance of education, a theme Jasper continues to emphasize in many of the songs he has written since his days with the Isleys. In January 2013, Jasper released ''Inspired: By Love, By Life, By the Spirit'', a compilation of love songs as well as socially conscious and spiritual tracks. In May 2014, Jasper released ''The One'', reminiscent of the soulful R&B and funk music he wrote for the Isleys. In 2016, Jasper released ''Share With Me'', which included a cover of the Billy Preston hit, "You Are So Beautiful" and a track called "America", a tribute to the nation and a call to come together. In April 2018, Jasper pre-released a double-A single "The Love That You Give/It's a Miracle" from his 15th solo album ''Dance With You'', scheduled for a July 2018 release.
Jasper, who earned a law degree in 2004, has continued to write, record, and perform all the music on his solo albums and produce artists for his Gold City label, including Liz Hogue, Out Front, and Brothaz By Choice. The most recent addition to the Gold City label is Jasper's son, Michael Jasper, a songwriter, recording artist and screenplay writer, who earned his law degree in 2018. In 1989, Chris Jasper wrote, produced and performed on "Make It Last" for
Chaka Khan
Yvette Marie Stevens (born March 23, 1953), better known by her stage name Chaka Khan (), is an American singer. Her career has spanned more than five decades, beginning in the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the funk band Rufus. Known as the " Qu ...
's ''
CK'' album. In 2015, in conjunction with Sony Music, Jasper released the ''Essential Chris Jasper'' which encompasses all of the tracks that Jasper sang lead on during his Isley-Jasper-Isley years and solo career at CBS/Sony Music. In 2015, he received the German Record Critics Lifetime Achievement Award ("Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik"). In 2016, Jasper was awarded the National R&B Society Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 2017, Ernie and Ronnie Isley collaborated with guitarist
Carlos Santana
Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán (; born July 20, 1947) is an American guitarist who rose to fame in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band Santana, which pioneered a fusion of Rock and roll and Latin American jazz. Its sound featured ...
and released ''Power of Peace'', released on July 28 by Sony Music's Legacy Recordings.
In 2019, Ron and Ernie Isley received the National R&B Music Society's Lifetime Achievement Award and Proclamations
from the City of Atlantic City, while on stage in Atlantic City, NJ. In 2021 the brothers participated in a
Verzuz
''Verzuz'' is an American webcast series created by record producers Timbaland and Swizz Beatz, that airs on Verzuz TV.
Verzuz was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic as a virtual DJ battle, with Timbaland and Swizz Beatz facing off in ...
with fellow R&B band
Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire (EW&F or EWF) is an American band whose music spans the genres of jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, big band, Latin, and Afro pop. They are among the best-selling bands of all time, with sales of over 90 million re ...
hosted by
Steve Harvey
Broderick Stephen Harvey Sr. Also aired August 16, 2015. (born January 17, 1957) is an American television host, producer, actor, and comedian. He hosts ''The Steve Harvey Morning Show'', ''Family Feud'', '' Celebrity Family Feud,'' the Miss U ...
, to celebrate both bands contributions to R&B & Pop music and African American culture.
On September 30, 2022, the Isley Brothers released a new album, titled ''Make Me Say It Again, Girl''.
Musical style and influences
Influenced by gospel and doo-wop music, the group experimented with different musical styles over the course of their career, starting out in
rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from Africa ...
before shifting their sound to
soul music
Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the African American community throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It has its roots in African-American gospel music and rhythm and blues. Soul music became po ...
, then
funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
and
funk rock
Funk rock is a fusion genre that mixes elements of funk and rock. James Brown and others declared that Little Richard and his mid-1950s road band, The Upsetters, were the first to put the funk in the rock and roll beat, with a biographer sta ...
. The group has also performed
rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...
and
pop ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
s.
Awards and nominations
The Isley Brothers were inducted
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music an ...
in 1992.
In 1997, they were inducted into
Hollywood's Rockwalk, and in 2003 they were inducted to the
Vocal Group Hall of Fame
The Vocal Group Hall of Fame (VGHF) is an American-based hall of fame that honors vocal groups throughout the world in every genre of music. Headquartered in the Columbia Theatre in Sharon, Pennsylvania, it includes a theater and a museum.
It was ...
.
Grammy Awards
The Isley Brothers have won two
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
, including the
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is a special Grammy Award that is awarded by The Recording Academy to "performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording."
...
.
Two of their songs are inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
, -
,
1970
Events
January
* January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC.
* January 5 – The 7.1 Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity scale, Mercalli intensity of X (''Extrem ...
, "It's Your Thing"
,
Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group
,
, -
,
2002
File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
, "Contagious"
, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
,
, -
,
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...
, "Busted"
, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
,
, -
, 2004
, ''Body Kiss''
,
Best R&B Album
The Grammy Award for Best R&B Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works on albums in the R&B music genre. Honors ...
,
, -
,
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
, Isley Brothers
,
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is a special Grammy Award that is awarded by The Recording Academy to "performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording."
...
,
Grammy Hall of Fame
The Grammy Hall of Fame is a hall of fame to honor musical recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance. Inductees are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of ...
, -
,
1999
File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shootin ...
, "Shout"
, Hall of Fame (Single)
,
, -
,
2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
, "Twist and Shout"
, Hall of Fame (Single)
,
Members
; Current members
*
Ronald Isley
Ronald Isley (; born May 21, 1941) is an American recording artist, songwriter, record producer, and occasional actor. Isley is the lead singer and founding member of the family music group The Isley Brothers.
Early life
Born in 1941 to Sally ...
– lead vocals (1955–present), backing vocals (1954–1955)
*
Ernie Isley
Ernest Isley (born March 7, 1952) is an American musician, best known as a member of the musical ensemble The Isley Brothers, and also the splinter group Isley-Jasper-Isley.
Biography
Ernie was born in Cincinnati, where his older brothers for ...
– guitars, bass, drums, percussion (1969–1984, 1991–present)
; Former members
* Vernon Isley – lead vocals (1954–1955; his death)
*
Rudolph Isley
Rudolph Bernard Isley (born April 1, 1939 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American singer-songwriter and is one of the founding members of The Isley Brothers.
Life and career
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Rudy began singing in church at a youn ...
– backing vocals (1954–1989, 2004)
*
O'Kelly Isley Jr.
O'Kelly "Kelly" Isley Jr. (December 25, 1937 – March 31, 1986) was an American singer and one of the founding members of the family group the Isley Brothers.
Biography
The eldest of the Isley Brothers, Kelly started singing with his brothe ...
– backing vocals (1954–1986; his death)
*
Marvin Isley
Marvin Isley (August 18, 1953 – June 6, 2010)
– accessed June 2010 was the youngest member of the family music grou ...
– bass (1969–1970, 1971–1984, 1991–1997; died 2010)
*
Chris Jasper
Christopher Howard Jasper (born December 30, 1951) Allmusic biography/ref> is an American singer, composer, and producer. Jasper is a former member of the Isley Brothers and Isley-Jasper-Isley and is responsible for writing and producing the ...
– keyboards, backing vocals, conducted string arrangements, guitars, bass, percussion (1969, 1971–1984)
Timeline
Discography
;Studio albums
* ''
Shout!'' (1959)
* ''
Twist & Shout
"Twist and Shout" is a 1961 song written by Phil Medley and Bert Berns (later credited as "Bert Russell"). It was originally recorded by the Top Notes, but it did not become a hit in the record charts until it was reworked by the Isley Brothers ...
'' (1962)
* ''
Twisting and Shouting'' (1963)
* ''
This Old Heart of Mine'' (1966)
* ''
Soul on the Rocks
''Soul on the Rocks'' is the fifth studio album by The Isley Brothers. It was released on the Tamla ( Motown) label on January 24, 1967. Their second and final album with the Detroit label, the brothers soon felt disenchanted with their stay at ...
'' (1967)
* ''
It's Our Thing'' (1969)
* ''
The Brothers: Isley'' (1969)
* ''
Get into Something'' (1970)
* ''
Givin' It Back'' (1971)
* ''
Brother, Brother, Brother'' (1972)
* ''
3 + 3'' (1973)
* ''
Live It Up'' (1974)
* ''
The Heat Is On'' (1975)
* ''
Harvest for the World
''Harvest for the World'' is the fourteenth studio album released by The Isley Brothers on their T-Neck imprint on May 29, 1976.
The album was remastered and expanded for inclusion in the 2015 released CD box set ''The RCA Victor & T-Neck Albu ...
'' (1976)
* ''
Go for Your Guns
''Go for Your Guns'' is the fifteenth album by the Isley Brothers. Released on April 16, 1977, on their T-Neck label, it was also the band's fifth album to be distributed by their deal with Epic. Released in mid-April 1977, the album peaked a mo ...
'' (1977)
* ''
Showdown
A showdown is a duel. The term may also refer to:
Places
* Showdown Ski Area, in Montana, United States
Books
* ''Showdown'' (Amado novel), a 1984 novel by Jorge Amado
* ''Showdown'' (Dekker novel), a 2006 novel by Ted Dekker
* ''Showdown'' ( ...
'' (1978)
* ''
Winner Takes All'' (1979)
* ''
Go All the Way'' (1980)
* ''
Grand Slam
Grand Slam most often refers to:
* Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves
Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to:
Games and sports
* Grand slam, winning category te ...
'' (1981)
* ''
Inside You
''Inside You'' is the 20th album by The Isley Brothers released on T-Neck Records on December 1, 1981.
The album was remastered and expanded for inclusion in the 2015 released CD box set ''The RCA Victor & T-Neck Album Masters, 1959-1983''.
R ...
'' (1981)
* ''
The Real Deal'' (1982)
* ''
Between the Sheets'' (1983)
* ''
Masterpiece
A masterpiece, ''magnum opus'' (), or ''chef-d’œuvre'' (; ; ) in modern use is a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or a work of outstanding creativity, ...
'' (1985)
* ''
Smooth Sailin''' (1987)
* ''
Spend the Night'' (1989)
* ''
Tracks of Life
''Tracks of Life'' is an album by the American musical group the Isley Brothers, released in 1992. The group was made up of Ernie Isley and Marvin Isley backing up brother Ronald. The album peaked at No. 140 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and No. 19 on ...
'' (1992)
* ''
Mission to Please
''Mission to Please'' is the 27th studio album by The Isley Brothers, released on May 14, 1996, on Island Records. It was a return to commercial glory for the group in the years following their platinum-certified album '' Between the Sheets'' (1 ...
'' (1996)
* ''
Eternal
Eternal(s) or The Eternal may refer to:
* Eternity, an infinite amount of time, or a timeless state
* Immortality or eternal life
* God, the supreme being, creator deity, and principal object of faith in monotheism
Comics, film and television
* ...
'' (2001)
* ''
Body Kiss
''Body Kiss'' is the 29th studio album by The Isley Brothers on the DreamWorks label. Almost solely written, arranged, composed and produced by longtime collaborator R. Kelly as well as hitmakers Tim & Bob, the album yielded the singles "What Wo ...
'' (2003)
* ''
Baby Makin' Music'' (2006)
* ''Power of Peace'' (2017)
* ''Make Me Say It Again, Girl'' (2022)
References
External links
*
* /
VEVO
Vevo ( , an abbreviation for "Video Evolution", stylized as VEVO until 2013) is an American multinational video hosting service, best known for providing music videos to YouTube. The service is also available as an app on selected smart TVs, di ...
*
The Isley Brothersat the
Vocal Group Hall of Fame
The Vocal Group Hall of Fame (VGHF) is an American-based hall of fame that honors vocal groups throughout the world in every genre of music. Headquartered in the Columbia Theatre in Sharon, Pennsylvania, it includes a theater and a museum.
It was ...
*
Official Website of Chris JasperGold City Records
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