Throwback: Happy Belated 82nd Birthday, Ronald Isley!

May is a very busy month in music history:

• The 67th anniversary of Sharon Jones was on May 4
• U2′s Bono celebrated his 63rd birthday on May 10
• The Afghan Whigs‘, The Gutter Twins‘ and The Twilight Singers‘ Greg Dullicelebrated his 58th birthday on May 11
• The 95th anniversary of Burt Bacharach‘s birth was on May 12
• Stevie Wonder celebrated his 73rd birthday on May 13
• Talking Heads frontman David Byrne celebrated his 71st birthday on May14
• Nine Inch Nails creative mastermind Trent Reznor celebrates his 58th birthday on May 17
• The legendary bluesman Taj Mahal celebrated his 81st birthday on May 17
• The Who‘s Pete Townshend celebrated his 78th birthday on May 19
• The Ramones‘ Joey Ramone was born 72 years ago on May 19
• Grace Jones celebrated her 75th birthday on May 19
• Biggie was born 51 years ago on May 21

As I often say around here, we need to give our legends their flowers while we have them. I didn’t realize this but yesterday was the legendary Ronald Isley’s 82nd birthday. The Isley Brothers are among the most sampled groups ever — with their work being sampled over 800 times by various artists.

Additionally, Ronald Isley is one of the most imitable, influential vocalists to have ever done it — and his influence on R&B, soul and pop has been towering. And understandably so!

Happy birthday, Mr. Big! May there be many, many, many more!