Rudolph Isley was a singer and songwriter who was a founding member of the Isley brothers, known for hit songs like “Shout,” “It’s Your Thing,” and “Twist and Shout.”
- Died: October 11, 2023 (Who else died on October 11?)
- Details of death: Died in Olympia Fields, Illinois, at the age of 84.
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Rudolph Isley’s legacy
Isley made music from a young age, first singing in church, then forming the Isley Brothers as a teen with his brothers, Kelly, Ronnie, and Vernon. In 1957, Vernon was struck and killed by a car, and the group briefly disbanded. However, the surviving brothers reformed as a trio, moved to New York, and landed a record deal in 1959. That same year, they released their first hit single, “Shout,” which remains a dance floor mainstay to this day.
Isley and his brothers moved between labels during the ‘60s, scoring another hit with their take on “Twist and Shout” in 1962. John Lennon (1940– 1980) said the Beatles’ version, recorded two years later, was directly inspired by the Isley Brothers. By the late ‘60s, the band began to delve into funk music. Co-written by Isley, “It’s Your Thing” went to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the R&B charts; it has since become one of the genre’s most iconic anthems. He continued to write, record and perform with the band throughout the ‘70s and well into the ‘80s, notably on songs like “Fight the Power,” “It’s a Disco Life (Rock Don’t Stop),” and “Livin’ in the Life.”
In 1986, Isley’s oldest brother, Kelly, died of a heart attack. The loss sapped Isley’s love of performing, and in 1989 he retired from music to become a Christian minister. Isley, along with the rest of the group, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. He also earned lifetime achievement honors at the BET Awards, is in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and won a Grammy for “It’s Your Thing,” among other honors. For many critics, the lasting influence of the Isley Brothers’ music on a diverse array of genres has made them among the most important musical acts of the last 70 years.
Tributes to Rudolph Isley
Full obituary: The New York Times
