A beloved American singer and songwriter has passed away at the age of 84 after suffering a heart attack.
Rudolph Isley of Cincinnati, Ohio, was a singer and one of the founding members of the R&B/Soul band The Isley Brothers. The vocal trio was founded by Rudolph and his brothers O’Kelly ‘Kelly’ Isley Jr. and Ronald Isley in the late 1950s.
TMZ now revealed that the musician died on Wednesday. While no official cause of death was provided, a source suggested that the entertainer had suffered a heart attack.
“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,” Ronald said.
Throughout the years, The Isley Brothers came up with a number of hits such as Shout, This Old Heart of Mine, It’s Your Thing, That Lady, Fight the Power, and 1962’s Twist and Shout which was later covered by the Beatles.
Joining the musical group were also brothers Ernie and Marvin Isley and their brother-in-law Chris Jasper.
The brothers also won two Grammy awards and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.
Speaking of the band’s ever-lasting legacy, Ernie last year said:
“Since the beginning with Twist and Shout [the group’s first top 5 R&B single in 1962], the Isley Brothers music has basically influenced everybody that you might want to name — from the Beatles to Jimi Hendrix to the Average White Band and Whitney Houston.
“Our catalog is constantly in a position of being rediscovered. How many times has Between the Sheets been sampled? Ice Cube’s It Was a Good Day samples our Footsteps in the Dark. Then you’ve got a lead vocalist who’s gone from Twist and Shout and Between the Sheets to It’s Your Thing, That Lady and Harvest for the World. I mean, the man is my brother [laughs].”
Speaking to Billboard, the singer added: “But when it comes to that vocal instrument and its recognition factor/influence … We’ve stretched around the world with our music by grace. So Lord willing, I expect it to continue and thrive.”
Our thoughts remain with Rudolph’s loved ones during this challenging time.