Ronald Isley & The Isley Brothers

The longtime lead vocalist for the Isley Brothers, Ronald Isley helmed the influential family group for over half a century, a period spanning not only multiple generations of siblings but also massive cultural shifts that heralded their music's transformation from gritty R&B to Motown soul to blistering funk. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on May 21, 1941, a preteen Ronald joined siblings Rudolph, O'Kelly, and Vernon to form the earliest incarnation of the group. After Vernon's 1955 death in a bicycling accident, Ronald was tapped as the remaining trio's lead vocalist. Early singl...