Biography
Ernie Isley channeled a Jimi Hendrix-inspired virtuosity into his roles as guitarist, drummer, singer, and songwriter for the Isley Brothers, shifting the veteran R&B ensemble toward a more rock-oriented path that produced 11 gold and five platinum albums. During his tenure with Isley/Jasper/Isley he delivered lead vocals on the R&B hit "Look the Other Way" and topped the R&B chart with "Caravan of Love." Listeners can find much of that catalog on The Ultimate Isley Brothers, which Sony Music Entertainment released October 17, 2000.
Born March 7, 1952, in Cincinnati, OH, Ernie watched his older brothers Ronald, Rudolph, and O'Kelly notch early successes including "Shout," "Twist and Shout," and "This Old Heart of Mine." As a teenager he took up drumming; around the same period the family relocated to New Jersey. Inspired by Jose Feliciano’s 1968 classic "Light My Fire," he soon added guitar to his instrumental skills.
Keyboardist Chris Jasper, reconnecting with his former Cincinnati neighbor during a visit to a nearby sister, resumed the summer jam sessions he and Ernie had shared for years. Bassist Marvin Isley joined the pair, forming a trio that modeled itself after Young-Holt Unlimited and performed jazz, pop, and Motown material. Encouraged by the older Isleys, who often joined rehearsals in the basement, the younger musicians cut demo tracks featuring Ronald Isley on lead vocals.
In 1969 the Isleys secured a custom-label arrangement with Epic Records. The It's Your Thing album inaugurated the T-Neck imprint—named after their Teaneck, NJ, base—and featured the million-selling title track. After finishing music studies at C.W. Post College in Long Island, NY, Ernie formally joined the Isley Brothers, making his recorded debut on the 3+3 LP issued in summer 1973. That release spawned "Who's That Lady" and a cover of Seals & Crofts' "Summer Breeze," launching a 13-year run of hit albums.
The group fractured in 1984, prompting Jasper and the younger Isleys—Ernie and Marvin—to launch Isley/Jasper/Isley. Their CBS Associated Labels debut, the self-produced Broadway's Next to Sunset Boulevard, yielded the number 14 R&B single "Look the Other Way," whose light-rock style echoed the Police's "Every Breath You Take." Additional tracks such as the steppers cuts "Serve You Right" and "I Can't Get Over Losing You" gained traction as radio favorites. The follow-up album Caravan of Love spent three weeks at number one on the R&B chart and crossed over to pop and gospel airwaves with a thematic resonance similar to Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions' "People Get Ready." Its successor single, the steppers favorite "Insatiable Woman," also charted on the R&B side, while Ernie sang lead on the whimsical "If You Believe in Love." The trio’s final effort, Different Drummer, produced two Top 20 R&B hits—"8th Wonder of the World" and "Givin' You Back the Love"—and the radio-favored ballad "Blue Rose," spotlighting Ernie’s vocals.
After the group disbanded, Ernie issued the 1990 Elektra album High Wire, showcasing his guitar prowess. In the late '90s he rejoined Ronald Isley for tours billed as the Isley Brothers, highlighted by a memorable outdoor concert broadcast on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and the pair earned platinum-plus certification for Mission to Please. Ernie also appeared on an album by R. Kelly.
Born March 7, 1952, in Cincinnati, OH, Ernie watched his older brothers Ronald, Rudolph, and O'Kelly notch early successes including "Shout," "Twist and Shout," and "This Old Heart of Mine." As a teenager he took up drumming; around the same period the family relocated to New Jersey. Inspired by Jose Feliciano’s 1968 classic "Light My Fire," he soon added guitar to his instrumental skills.
Keyboardist Chris Jasper, reconnecting with his former Cincinnati neighbor during a visit to a nearby sister, resumed the summer jam sessions he and Ernie had shared for years. Bassist Marvin Isley joined the pair, forming a trio that modeled itself after Young-Holt Unlimited and performed jazz, pop, and Motown material. Encouraged by the older Isleys, who often joined rehearsals in the basement, the younger musicians cut demo tracks featuring Ronald Isley on lead vocals.
In 1969 the Isleys secured a custom-label arrangement with Epic Records. The It's Your Thing album inaugurated the T-Neck imprint—named after their Teaneck, NJ, base—and featured the million-selling title track. After finishing music studies at C.W. Post College in Long Island, NY, Ernie formally joined the Isley Brothers, making his recorded debut on the 3+3 LP issued in summer 1973. That release spawned "Who's That Lady" and a cover of Seals & Crofts' "Summer Breeze," launching a 13-year run of hit albums.
The group fractured in 1984, prompting Jasper and the younger Isleys—Ernie and Marvin—to launch Isley/Jasper/Isley. Their CBS Associated Labels debut, the self-produced Broadway's Next to Sunset Boulevard, yielded the number 14 R&B single "Look the Other Way," whose light-rock style echoed the Police's "Every Breath You Take." Additional tracks such as the steppers cuts "Serve You Right" and "I Can't Get Over Losing You" gained traction as radio favorites. The follow-up album Caravan of Love spent three weeks at number one on the R&B chart and crossed over to pop and gospel airwaves with a thematic resonance similar to Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions' "People Get Ready." Its successor single, the steppers favorite "Insatiable Woman," also charted on the R&B side, while Ernie sang lead on the whimsical "If You Believe in Love." The trio’s final effort, Different Drummer, produced two Top 20 R&B hits—"8th Wonder of the World" and "Givin' You Back the Love"—and the radio-favored ballad "Blue Rose," spotlighting Ernie’s vocals.
After the group disbanded, Ernie issued the 1990 Elektra album High Wire, showcasing his guitar prowess. In the late '90s he rejoined Ronald Isley for tours billed as the Isley Brothers, highlighted by a memorable outdoor concert broadcast on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and the pair earned platinum-plus certification for Mission to Please. Ernie also appeared on an album by R. Kelly.
Albums
Singles
