Throwback: R.I.P. Rudolph Isley

I was working on the previous post when I learned that The Isley Brothers‘ Rudolph Isley died. He was 84. The Isley Brothers were — and are — one of the most important and legendary R&B/soul outfits to ever do it. They’ve gone through several distinct periods: They began as a gospel group before making a name for themselves performing R&B in the mid 50s. By the early 70s, they morphed into a funk and soul outfit, with some of the most recognized and sampled material ever recorded. (I happen to love that period of The Isleys the most and have pulled from that period quite a bit in DJ sets.)

So let’s celebrate Rudolph and his contributions to some of the most important and influential music ever recorded. Farewell brother.