Rudolph Isley (pictured right), one of the founding members of The Isley Brothers, died on Oct. 11 at age 84. A publicist confirmed his passing to the Los Angeles Times.
Rudolph founded the band with his brothers O'Kelly, Ronald, and Vernon; the group briefly disbanded when Vernon died in 1955, but the three brothers eventually moved to New York to pursue music in 1957. "There are no words to express my feelings and the love I have for my brother," Ronald said in a statement about his brother's death to the LA Times. "Our family will miss him. But I know he's in a better place."
The group rose to prominence with their 1959 single "Shout," and their other hits included "Twist and Shout," "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)," and "It's Your Thing." In the 1970s, their younger brother Ernie and Marvin and brother-in-law Chris Jasper joined the band.
Rudolph married his wife Elaine in 1958 and the couple shared four children.
