Rudolph Isley, founding member of the Isley Brothers, dies at 84

Rudolph Isley, the singer and songwriter best known as a founding member of the chart-topping R&B group the Isley Brothers, has died at 84.

A publicist for the group confirmed the news to EW on Thursday and provided a statement from Ronald Isley saying, "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 formed the iconic group with his siblings O'Kelly, Ronald, and Vernon as a young man. The fledgling group sang at their local church in a Cincinnati suburb and moved on to perform at churches throughout the region, even winning a competition on Ted Mack's Amateur Hour series. However, they disbanded in 1955 after Vernon, the lead vocalist, was hit by a car and killed at just 13.

In 1957, the Isley Brothers reformed and moved to New York. By 1959, they had released their first single for RCA, "Shout." The song "was gospel designed as rock‐and‐roll, and a lot of people in my mother's church were not too pleased when it came out," younger brother and lead guitarist Ernie Isley told the New York Times in 1977.

Into the 1960s, the group found success with more singles, such as their own twist on Bert Berns' "Twist and Shout" in 1962. It was their first top-40 hit. In 1966, they signed to Motown and had another hit with "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)." That would be their second top-40 hit.

The Isley Brothers continued to perform into the 1970s, bringing in other family members and relatives. More hits followed, like "That Lady," "Summer Breeze," and "Fight the Power."

The group went on making music, though Rudolph left the group in 1989 to become a Christian minister. He was, however, part of the group inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

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