Rudolph Isley, a Cincinnati, Ohio native and founding member of the legendary music group The Isley Brothers, has died at age 84. The Isley Brothers posted a message to social media about his death. Rudolph Isley died on Wednesday.
The cause of death was not immediately known.
"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," his brother Ronald Isley said.
Representatives for The Isley Brothers said in a statement, "Heaven has gained another angel. Our hearts are heavy as we announce the passing ... As we navigate through this deep sorrow, we kindly ask for understanding and respect for our family's privacy during this challenging time. Remember to hold your loved ones close. We will miss our brother but we know he’s in a better place. Forever in our hearts."
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Just a few years before the group recorded their hit "Shout" in 1959, Rudolph and brother O'Kelly Jr. played football in Cincinnati.
The brothers' school said the brothers used to sing at school talent shows. Another brother, Vernon, had been part of the then-Isley Quarter. He died in a bicycle accident in Ohio in September of 1954.
Rudolph had not performed with The Isley Brothers since 1986, and he left the music industry in 1989.
He did reunite with the group when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.
The Isley Brothers have won two Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award. Their songs "Shout" and "Twist and Shout" are in the Grammy Hall of Fame.
This story was originally published by Taylor Weiter at Scripps News Cincinnati.
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