Ronald Isley

Singer and songwriter Ronald Isley – born May 21, 1941, in Cincinnati, Ohio – is best known as a founding member and lead singer of soul and R&B legends the Isley Brothers. The third of six brothers, he began singing in church at the age of two. Five years later, he was performing alongside artists like Dinah Washington at respected venues such as the Regal Theater in Chicago. In his teens, Ronald Isley was performing with his brothers in church, making an appearance on the popular television show Ted Mack’s Amateur Hour. In 1957, he and his brothers O’Kelly and Rudy moved to New York in hopes of pursuing a music career. Initially recording a series of doo-wop singles for local labels, the trio signed with RCA Records in 1959. The Isley Brothers’ first single was the now-legendary “Shout” (1959), which led to more hits such as “Twist & Shout” (1962), “Nobody But Me” (1963), “Who’s That Lady?” (1964), “This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)” (1966), “I Guess I’ll Always Love You” (1966), “It’s Your Thing” (1969), “That Lady (Part 1)” (1973), “Fight the Power (Part 1)” (1975), “Harvest for the World” (1976), and many more. Throughout most of the band’s career, Ronald Isley remained the group’s main vocalist and only consistent member. The group’s sound changed over the years with the addition of younger brothers into the fold. Brother O’Kelly died in 1986 and Rudy left in 1989 to pursue a career in the ministry. Younger brother Ernie stepped in and took a more dominant role in the group. In 1990, Ronald Isley collaborated with Rod Stewart on a new version of “This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)”, which was a Top 10 hit for Stewart. As a solo artist, Ronald Isley released Here I Am, a collaboration with Burt Bacharach, in 2003. His next solo album, Mr. I, was released in 2010, followed three years later by This Song Is for You. During his long career, Ronald Isley has also collaborated with many artists, providing hook vocals for tracks by R. Kelly, Warren G, 2Pac, and UGK. In 2004, Ronald Isley was convicted of tax evasion and was incarcerated for several years, which sidelined his career. He was released in April 2010 and picked up his music career where he left off.

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