They jumped into rhythm and blues feet first with their 1959 future frat-party anthem, “Shout.” They helped create the funk sound of the late 1960s with “It’s Your Thing.” They perfected the smooth realm of early 1970s soul music with hits like “That Lady.”
The Isley Brothers have spanned the pop, R&B, soul and funk genres throughout more than 50 years of entertaining audiences worldwide. They will bring their U.S. tour to Santa Ynez and the Chumash Casino Resort’s Samala Showroom on Friday, Feb. 16. Tickets for the 8 p.m. show are $65, $75 and $85.
The Grammy Award-winning group, which debuted as a sibling gospel quartet in 1954, evolved throughout the years to compile seven No. 1 R&B hits, four Top 10 pop hits, 13 albums certified gold, platinum or multi-platinum, and an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Hailing from Cincinnati, the musical group first consisted of brothers O’Kelly, Rudolph, Ronald and Vernon Isley. They performed gospel music until Vernon’s tragic death in a bicycle accident shortly after the group’s formation.
The remaining Isley Brothers moved to New York City in the late 1950s and experienced modest chart success during their early years. In 1959, they became known for their fourth single, “Shout,” which eventually sold more than 1 million copies.
The group recorded with a variety of labels, but they hit it big when they formed their own label, T-Neck Records, and won a Grammy Award for the 1969 single “It’s Your Thing.”
In 1973, the group added younger brothers Ernie, Marvin and Rudolph’s brother-in-law Chris Jasper to the group. For the next decade, The Isley Brothers recorded top-selling albums such as “3 + 3,” “The Heat Is On,” “Harvest for the World,” “Go For Your Guns,” and “Showdown.” This era included hit singles such as “That Lady,” a cover of Seals and Crofts’ “Summer Breeze,” “Fight the Power” and “The Pride.”
The Isley Brothers’ current lineup features Ronald Isley, who has been the lead vocalist since the group’s inception, and lead guitarist Ernie Isley.
The Michigan Chronicle once noted: “The Isley Brothers have one of the most distinctive (and enduring) sounds in the history of R&B, largely due to the amazing voice of Ronald Isley.”
Located on Highway 246 in Santa Ynez, the Chumash Casino Resort is an age 21-and-older venue. Tickets for all events are available at the Chumash Casino Resort’s Club Indulge or online at www.chumashcasino.com.
