'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Former Isley Brothers and Isley-Jasper-Isley member Chris Jasper passed away on Sunday, February 23 at 73. The singer was diagnosed with cancer in December last year. The news of his demise was posted on his Facebook page on February 25.
Notably, two Isley Brothers members are currently alive out of 6 — Ronald and Ernie Isley. Chris Jasper joined the Isley family after his elder sister Elaine married one of the band's founding members, Rudolph Isley. He joined the Isley Brothers, which was initially a vocal trio, in 1973 alongside Ernie and Marvin Isley, the two younger Isley brothers.
Trending
Cincinnati-born Chris had a knack for music from an early age. According to his Facebook page, the late singer started taking classical piano training when he was 7. He later moved to New York City to attend the Juilliard School of Music and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts. Chris Jasper had been married to Margie Jasper.
Chris, Ernie, and Marvin's addition to the Isley Brothers band transformed the group's music as they ventured into the different genres such as R&B, funk, and soul. Chris contributed to the band as a songwriter, keyboardist, and producer. Some of the hit songs with lyrical production from Chris, include Fight the Power, For the Love of You, and Between the Sheets.
After the Isley Brothers' disbandment in 1984, Chris, Ernie, and Marvin formed a separate band Isley-Japer-Isley. They went on to record three albums —Broadway's Closer to Sunset Blvd, Caravan of Love, and Different Drummer before splitting in 1987.
Following the disbandment, Chris Jasper pursued a solo career under Epic Records in 1987 and released the album Superbad. He later joined a different label Gold City Records where he produced most of his solo albums, including Time Bomb, Faithful and True, Amazing Love, and Invincible.
Brief history of the Isley Brothers in the wake of Chris Jasper's passing
Originally, the Ohio-born elder Isley siblings — Ronald, O'Kelly, Rudolph, and Vernon formed the gospel music group Isley Brothers in the early 1950s. After Vernon died in a bicycle accident in 1955, the remaining three members became a vocal trio, led by Ronald.
They left Ohio in 1957 and moved to New York to explore a different musical style. The brothers signed with RCA Records in 1959. Furthermore, legendary musician Jimi Hendrix played guitar for the Isley Brothers during one of their 1964 tours. After Jimi's exit the following year, the Isley Brothers made a recording deal with Motown Records.
In 1773, Chris, Ernie, and Marvin joined the trio as keyboardist, guitarist/ drummer, and bassist respectively. 3+3 and The Heat Is On are among their album hits as a 6-member band.
Shortly after their 1984 split, O'Kelly Isley Jr. died of cardiac arrest in 1986. In 1989, Rudolph left his musical career and began serving as a Baptist minister. He died aged 84 on October 11, 2023.
The remaining of the original Isley siblings from the band Ronald, Ernie, and Marvin reunited in the 1990s and continued releasing music together until Marvin's death on June 6, 2010.
