Rudolph Isley, Founding Member Of The Isley Brothers, Dead At 84

Rudolph Isley, a founding member of The Isley Brothers, has died. He was 84.

Rudolph died on Wednesday (Oct. 11) in Illinois. The official cause of death has not been made at this time. A source told media that it is possible that he suffered a heart attack.

Rudolph began singing in the church and then created The Isley Brothers with his siblings Ronald, O’Kelly, and Vernon. Vernon was tragically killed when he was 13 when he was riding a bike. Later on, the group consisted of Rudolph’s younger brothers Ernie and Marvin, and Rudolph’s brother-in-law Chris Jasper in the early 1970s. Rudolph married his wife Elaine Jasper in 1958.

The group was known for songs such as “Shout,” “This Old Heart of Mine,” “Twist & Shout,” “It’s Your Thing,” and more.

Rudolph left the group in 1989 to become a minister. Over the years he made appearances with the group such as when they were honored with the BET Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.