The Isley Brothers are one of the longest-running and most influential groups in American music history. Formed in 1954 in Cincinnati, Ohio, the group originally consisted of O’Kelly Isley Jr., Rudolph Isley, and Ronald Isley. Their younger brother Vernon Isley briefly sang lead until his untimely death in a tragic accident.
Starting as a gospel-influenced vocal trio, the Isleys shifted into R&B and pop. Their early breakthrough came with the now-iconic “Shout” in 1959. Although it wasn’t a major chart success at first, the song became a cultural staple. In 1962, they scored a hit with “Twist and Shout,” which reached the Top 20 before The Beatles famously covered it.
After stints with RCA and Motown, the group found greater creative and commercial freedom when they relaunched their own label, T-Neck Records. Their 1969 single “It’s Your Thing” marked a turning point, showcasing their funkier, more self-produced sound.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, The Isley Brothers evolved into a full-band lineup by adding younger family members Ernie Isley, Marvin Isley, and brother-in-law Chris Jasper. With this lineup, they produced a string of hits like “That Lady,” “Summer Breeze,” “Fight the Power,” “For the Love of You,” and “Between the Sheets.”
Spanning doo-wop, soul, funk, disco, and quiet storm, the Isley Brothers’ music influenced generations of R&B, pop, and hip-hop artists. Their ability to adapt to changing musical eras while maintaining a signature sound has made them icons in American music.
| Artist Profile: The Isley Brothers | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Cincinnati, Ohio, USA |
| Formed | 1954 |
| Original Members | O’Kelly Isley Jr., Rudolph Isley, Ronald Isley, Vernon Isley (deceased) |
| Key Later Members | Ernie Isley, Marvin Isley, Chris Jasper |
| Genres | Doo-wop, R&B, Soul, Funk, Rock, Quiet Storm |
| Breakthrough Song | “Shout” (1959) |
| Major Hits | “Twist and Shout” “It’s Your Thing” “That Lady” “Summer Breeze” “Fight the Power” “For the Love of You” “Between the Sheets” |
| Labels | RCA, Motown, T-Neck Records |
| Key Contributions | Pioneers of funk and quiet storm Influenced soul, R&B, and hip-hop Successfully adapted across six decades |
| Awards & Honors | Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees (1992) Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2014) |
Formation of the Isley Brothers
The seeds of the Isley Brothers started in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1954. The first lineup of the group consisted of siblings Ronald, Rudloph, O’Kelly and Vernon Isley, and their initial repertoire consisted of gospel songs. Vernon was the original lead vocalist of the group, until he was killed in a bicycling accident in 1955. Because of Vernon’s untimely death, the devastated Isley Brothers disbanded, but soon got together again when another brother Ronald joined as their tenor vocalist.
In 1957, the Isley Brothers moved to New York where they recorded and released doo-wop singles that failed to make an impact. Later on they were signed to RCA Records, where they eventually released their single “Shout.” The song was conceptualized during their Washington, D.C. gig where the group threw in the line: “You know you make me wanna shout.”
Struggles in Their Early Years
“Shout” became their first charting single, placing at #47 on the Hot 100, while it never made a dent on the R&B singles charts. The song became very popular and one of the influential American tunes, prompting several covers by other artists such as Lulu and Tommy James and the Shondells. The Beatles had also recorded their own live version (found on their Anthology I album). “Shout” has also been used as commercial jingles as well as for any important events (like weddings).
Other than their first hit The Isley Brothers following singles were flops. They eventually parted ways with RCA in 1962. The group then moved to Wand, where they also issued their sole hit again with the label “Twist and Shout” that same year, reaching #17 on the Hot 100 and #2 on the R&B singles chart. “Twist And Shout” was the brothers’ cover of the Top Notes’ original, and would be covered by other artists as well, with the best-known version being performed by the Beatles. Despite this success, the group fell into familiar territory again, releasing so-so singles.
label T-Neck Records in 1964. The Isley Brothers then recruited a young guitarist by the name of Jimmy James to back them up on many of their songs, including the single “Testify.” James later rose to become more known globally as Jimi Hendrix. T-Necks records had Atlantic Records as its distribution arm. However, neither of these efforts proved to be fruitful, and James left the band a year later.
In 1965, the group signed the Motown Records’ subsidiary Tamla in 1965. The group scored another hit with 1966’s “The Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)” which broke into the Top 20 pop chart for the first time at #12. It also landed at #6 on the soul singles chart.
But like in their experience with previous labels, success still remained elusive for The Isley Brothers. With the re-release of “The Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You),” it peaked at #3 on the UK singles chart in 1968. Spurred by the success of the song over the British shores, the group flew there in hopes of saving their declining career. Still after a short stint there, they moved back to the States the following year. Upon their return, they left Tamla and went back to revive their own label T-Neck.
Isley Brothers Success
This time, the gods seemed to smile upon The Isley Brothers. In 1969, their next single released on T-Neck, “It’s Your Thing” was decidedly funk. It went to #2 on the pop chart – their highest peak by the band ever on the Hot 100 – and #1 on the R&B singles chart. A major success had come to The Isley Brothers at last.
Also in 1969, more new members came their way. Younger brothers Ernie and Marvin Isley joined the group, as well as Chris Jasper who was their brother-in-law, and Everett Collins who was a family friend – all served as the group’s back-up musicians.
Embracing the Disco Trend in the 1970s
Ushering into the 1970s, the Isley Brothers scored more hits and even embraced the disco trend. Such hits during the decade include: “Pop That Thang,” “That Lady” (at #6 on the pop chart), “Fight the Power (at #4), “Livin’ in the Life,” and others that hit the Top 10 R&B singles chart. In 1975, their album The Heat Is On was their first album to reach the top of the Billboard 200.
Into the 1980s, The Isley Brothers still remained popular. However, Jasper and brothers Ernie and Marvin left in 1984 to form their own group Isley Jasper Isley. Two years later, O’Kelly succumbed to a heart attack. In 1989, Rudolph left the band and retired from the music industry for good to answer another call – being a minister.
Revivng the Group, and The Isley Brothers Today
Ronald, Ernie and Marvin Isley revived the group in 1991, releasing another albumMission to Please. However, another blow struck the band when Marvin was suffering diabetes; the condition left him with no choice but to amputate both of his legs. This left Ronald and Ernie to carry on The Isley Brothers name as a duo. In 2001, The Isley duo released Eternal which featured artists such as Jill Scott and Jimmy Jam. The album featured the single “Contagious” which became a Top 20 hit (at #19). Ronald soon had a name of his own as his character Mr. Biggs in R. Kelly’s music video of the latter’s hit “Down Low (Nobody Has to Know).”
In 2003, the duo released another album Body Kiss, which became their second #1 album on the Billboard 200, reaching gold status. 2006’s Baby Makin’ Music also became a Top 10 pop album hit. Ronald Isley was released from prison in 2010 after serving his sentence borne out of his tax evasion charges back in 2006. Tragedy rocked the brothers as Marvin died later that year, from complications brought on by diabetes.
Musical Style and Influences
The Isley brothers were greatly influenced by the gospel and experimented with different music styles over their long careers. The group’s history not only spanned two generations, but they also managed to stay relevant despite massive cultural shifts. These shifts also changed their music from the gritty R&B they started with to Motown soul and then to blistering funk.
According to Frank Youngweth, who wrote for the Chicago Readers, the Isley brothers fought to stay relevant in the ever-evolving pop scene in the 60s. This decade threatened to rip them from their original sound and tie them to the manufactured sound and image which was popular in those times.
The Reader also talks about their music style and states that the Isley Brothers status as a hard-rock band often gets buried among the other styles they tried. Rock elements were always a part of their music. When their guitarist Ernie Isley joined the band, their music got an extra rock power. Some of their songs, such as That Lady and Live It Up, were meant to be given to the biggest rock musicians in the music scene.
Awards and Nominations
The Isley Brothers are legendary, and to mark their influence and status in the music industry, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. A few years later, in 1997, they were inducted into Hollywood’s Rockwalk. In 2003, the Isley Brothers were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
The Isley Brothers have also won two Grammy Awards, which includes a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Two of their songs have also been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Here are some Grammy Nominations and Awards they have won over the years.
- In 1970, “It’s Your Thing” won the Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group Award.
- In 2002, “Contagious” was nominated for the Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo with Vocal or Group Award.
- In 2004, “Busted” was nominated for the Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo with Vocal or Group Award.
- In 2004, “Body Kiss” was nominated for the Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo with Vocal or Group Award.
- In 2004, the Isley Brothers received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Conclusion
It has been an interesting story of The Isley Brothers – from their early struggles to achieve hits – they’re now considered R&B and soul legends, and their legacy will live on. For their inestimable contributions to music, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.