Rudolph Isley has died at the age of 84.
The musician was best known as a founding member of The Isley Brothers along with brothers Ronald and Kelly but died “peacefully in his sleep” on Wednesday (Oct. 11) having enjoyed a music career spanning more than several decades.
His lawyer, Brian Caplan, told Pitchfork: “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.”
His brother Rupert explained to Rolling Stone that there were “no words” to describe how he felt at a time of grief.
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.”
The trio embarked upon a pop career in the late 1950s and had their first hit with “Shout!,” which was later covered by Lulu. It was during this time that they met young guitarist Jimi Hendrix in the years before he went on to be widely regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists but died at the age of just 27.
During their heyday, the group achieved a string o hit singles with songs like “Summer Breeze,” “That Lady,” “Harvest for the World” and “Footsteps in the Dark.”
In 1989, Rudolph left the band to become a minister but by this time, brother Ernie had joined and the pair continue be a part of the lineup today.
