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

12 Oct 23 Headline: Isley Brothers Caption: The Isley Brothers: (l to r) Rudolph, O'Kelly and Ronnie, perform together in an undated photo. Mandatory Credit: Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis/Getty Images Dateline: Not available Restriction: **This image is for use with this specific article only**
The Isley Brothers (left to right) Rudolph, O'Kelly and Ronnie, perform together. Credit: CNN

Rudolph Isley, a founding member the Isley Brothers and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, has died at the age of 84.

Known for R'n'B classics "Shout" and "Twist and Shout", and funky hits like "That Lady" and "It's Your Thing", the group has left a lasting mark on the American music industry.

Isley died at his home in Chicago on Wednesday, his family said in a statement. The cause of the singer's death is still not known.

"Heaven has gained another angel. Our hearts are heavy as we announce the passing of our beloved brother, Rudolph Isley," they said.

"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."

Rudolph Isley (right), pictured in New York circa 1969. Credit: CNN

In a statement Ronald Isley, one of the group's surviving members, 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."

A Cincinnati native, Rudolph Isley began singing in church with brothers Ronald and O'Kelly. Another sibling, Vernon, died at age 13.

He was still in his teens when the group broke through in the late 1950s with “Shout,” a secularised gospel hit that was later immortalized during the toga party scene in 1978 college party movie, Animal House.

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The Isleys scored again in the early 1960s with the equally spirited “Twist and Shout,” which the Beatles liked so much they used it as the closing song on their debut album and opened with it at their famed 1965 concert at Shea Stadium.

The Isleys' other hits included “This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You),” later covered by Rod Stewart, and the Grammy-winning “It's Your Thing.”

In the 1970s, after younger brother Ernest and Marvin joined the group, they had even greater success with such singles as “That Lady" and “Fight the Power (Part 1)” and such million-selling albums as “The Heat Is On” and “Go for Your Guns.”

Rudolph Isley left the group in 1989, three years after the sudden death of O'Kelly Isley, to become a Christian minister. He was among the Isleys inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

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