Rudolph Isley, Founding Member Of The Isley Brothers, Passes Away At 84
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Rudolph Isley, one of the founding members of The Isley Brothers, has passed away at the age of 84. The singer-songwriter died of a heart attack at his home on the morning of October 11th. The group released a statement regarding his passing on their social media, stating, "Heaven has gained another angel. Our hearts are heavy as we announce the passing of our beloved brother, Rudolph Isley."
Ronald Isley, brother of Rudolph Isley and also a founding member of the group, shared his thoughts in a statement to ABC News, saying, "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.”
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Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on April 1st, 1939, Rudolph began singing in church at a young age. He formed The Isley Brothers with brothers Ron, O’Kelly, and Vernon in 1954. Vernon, however, passed shortly after their formation at only 13 years old when he was struck by a car while riding his bike. The remaining trio were devastated and decided to disband.
In 1957, the group reunited, with Ronnie on lead vocals. They soon achieved success with hits such as, “Angels Cried,” “Shout,” and “Twist and Shout,” the latter of which later was covered famously by The Beatles. In 1969, after leaving Mowtown Records and resurrecting their own T-Neck Records label, they achieved major success with the single “It’s Your Thing,” becoming their biggest hit to date. Rudy remained in the group until 1989 when he left the music industry for good to pursue a career as a minister. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 as a member of The Isley Brothers. His recent activity in the group involved a lawsuit regarding ownership of The Isley Brothers’ name.
Rudolph is survived by his wife of 65 years, Elaine Jasper Isley, their children Elizabeth, Valerie, Elaine, and Rudy, and several grandchildren.
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Sources: Good Morning America, Wikipedia [1], [2]
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