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Rudolph Isley was a gospel and Rhythm genre singer best known for being one of the founding members of the family musical band. Isley and the other brothers had a longstanding influential and experimental music career, with the band notable for its shift from gospel and doo-woop to progressive soul, Motown soul, funk, and R&B, among others.
The singer-songwriter, who quit his band in the early 1990s to become a Christian minister, passed away at 84 from an unannounced cause. The death of the singer was announced by the band on their official Instagram page, stating,
"Heaven has gained another angel. Our hearts are heavy as we announce the passing of our beloved brother, Rudolph Isley...We will miss our brother but we know he’s in a better place. Forever in our hearts."
In another statement to Billboard Magazine, one of the brothers of the singer, Ronald Isley, elaborated briefly on their grief at the passing of the singer, he 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."
Rudolph Isley becomes the second Isley Brother to pass on
With his passing, Rudolph Isley becomes the second member of the Isley Brothers to have passed away. In 1955, when the band first started gaining recognition, Vernon Isley was killed in a car accident, an incident that nearly broke the band apart forever.
Rudolph Isley left the band after his brother died and would not return until 1957, with Rudolph taking over as lead vocalist for the band.
Soon after, the trio of brothers moved to New York and began raking up regional hits with their new singles. During this time, the band produced their first major chart success, with the single Twist & Shout reaching number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.
With further reorganization of the band, starting with a move to New Jersey and the establishment of their label, T-Neck Records, the band had their first major album success with their sixth studio album, It’s Our Thing, released in April 1969.
By this point, Rudolph Isley started sharing vocal duties with his brother Ron Isley, and together, they achieved the band’s next major success with their eleventh studio album, 3 + 3, released on August 7, 1973. The platinum-certified album peaked at number 8 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
The band was becoming noted for their above-mentioned experimentation with genres, with the sequel to their eleventh studio album, Live It Up, propelling them into the hard rock and metal category. The band’s experimentation continued to drive success, with the album peaking at number 14 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
The band's last major success while Rudolph Isley remained with them was the thirteenth studio album, The Heat Is On, released on June 7, 1975. Another album noted for its musical experimentation, this time with funk and soul ballad music, remains one of the few chart-topping records for the band.
Rudolph Isley left the band in 1989, returning to the church as a preacher. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of the band in 1992.
