Rudolph Isley, Isley Brothers Founder, Dies at Age 84

Isley Brothers Founder, Rudolph Isley, Dies at Age 84

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Rudolph Isley, the visionary founder of The Isley Brothers, has passed away at the age of 84.

He died Wednesday, October 12th in Illinois, and the exact cause of his passing is unknown, as reported by TMZ. An inside source shared with the news outlet that it is believed he suffered a heart attack.

The tragic announcement follows a public dispute between Rudolph and his brother, Ron Isley, over The Isley Brothers’ trademark.

RELATED: Rudolph Isley Sues Brother Ron Over “Isley Brothers” Trademark

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Rudolph and his brothers, Ronald, O’Kelly, and Vernon, started singing at a young age at their local church in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. Thus, formed The Isley Brothers or at the time, The Dixie Hummingbirds. Shortly after their brother Vernon was killed in a biking accident, in 1955, they moved to New York to record pop music and signed with RCA Records. Just a few years later, they made their debut with the hit song “Shout.” The group finally added younger brothers Ernie and Marvin and Rudolph’s brother-in-law, Chris Jasper, in 1971. Rudolph eventually left the group in 1989 to become a Christian minister.