The Isley Brothers

Founded in the mid-1950s in Cincinnati, Ohio, The Isley Brothers originally brought together brothers O’Kelly, Rudolph and Ronald Isley around a gospel repertoire before moving into rhythm and blues and soul. Settled in New York by the late 1950s, the group drew attention with the track "Shout!" (1959), which blended preacher-like vocals, call-and-response and rock energy, and later explored doo-wop and twist styles on releases such as the album "Twist & Shout" (1962). After a stint at Motown in the mid-1960s — highlighted by "This Old Heart of Mine" (1966) — The Isley Brothers launched their own label, T-Neck, and expanded the lineup with Ernie and Marvin Isley and keyboardist Chris Jasper, which shifted their sound toward a mix of soul, funk, rock and slow ballads. The albums "3 + 3" (1973) and "The Heat Is On" (1975) cemented this turn, characterized by pronounced guitars, slow grooves and a vocal range alternating between falsetto and gruffer singing, while "Between the Sheets" (1983) fits a quieter, contemporary R&B aesthetic. Over time The Isley Brothers have spanned several generations of soul and funk, moving between vocal ensembles and a full electric band, and continued recording and touring beyond the 2000s, notably with the album "Eternal" released in 2001.