NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) – Rudolph Isley, a founding member of the R&B group The Isley Brothers, died Wednesday (October 11) at his home in New York. The news of his death was confirmed via a statement to The New York Times by his brother Ernie, who stated he died in his sleep with his devoted wife Elaine by his side. No cause of death has been revealed. He was 84.
In a statement, Ronald Isley said: “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.”
In a statement via her attorney, Brian D. Caplan, to Pitchfork, Isley’s daughter said: “Rudolph Isley, a founding member of the world-famous Isley Brothers, died peacefully in his sleep on the morning of October 11, 2023. He died at his home, with his devoted wife Elaine by his side. They had been married for 68 years. Rudolph was a deeply religious man who loved Jesus.”
Isley was born in Cincinnati, OH, on April 1, 1939, and by his teenage years, he was singing with brothers O’Kelly “Kelly” Isley, Jr., Ronald and Vernon in the family band. Unfortunately, Vernon was killed in a bicycle accident in 1957, and the boys quit performing. However, they joined together again, moved to New York and landed a deal with RCA in 1959. They had their first hit with the single “Shout!” which became the name of their first album.
After leaving RCA, they signed with Berry Gordy’s Motown record label Tamla and released “This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)” in 1966. Their 1969 hit single “It’s Your Thing” earned them a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance By a Duo or Group and was released via their own T-Neck Records.
The Isley Brothers gained a few more members when brothers Marvin and Ernie joined the group in the 1970s alongside Rudolph’s brother-in-law, Chris Jasper. For almost a decade, they recorded top-selling albums, including 3 + 3, Between the Sheets, and The Heat Is On, later hitting No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.
O’Kelly passed away in 1986, and Rudolph and Ronald released some albums as a duo before Isley left the group in 1989 to concentrate on his religion and spirituality to become a Christian minister. His surviving siblings Ronnie and Ernie continued to perform as The Isley Brothers, but earlier this year, Isley sued them for the trademark to the band’s name. In August, a judge refused to dismiss the case, even though Ronald requested to do so.
Throughout his career with the Isley Brothers, they had sixteen albums chart in the Top 40, thirteen of which have been certified gold, platinum or multi-platinum. They were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2022, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, The Hollywood Rockwalk in 1997 and were inducted to the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003. In addition, they received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.
Isley is survived by his wife of 68 years, Elaine Jasper and their children, Rudy Jr., Elizabeth, Valerie and Elaine, brothers Ronald and Ernie and several grandchildren.
RIP.
