One of the better groups of 70’s & 80’s in my opinion was The Isley Brothers! Between 1975 & 1989 I brought 14 of their Albums, from a “Motown Special” to “Spend the Night” also several Singles! They were one of the few Black Artistes who had their own Record Label “T-Neck”( a suburb of New Jersey), which were released through Epic Records.
The Isleys came from Cincinnati, they started out singing Gospel in the local Baptist Church, in them days they were a Quartet, including Brothers O’Kelly, Ronald, Rudolph and Vernon, but unfornately Vernon died in 1955, so they became a Trio, and in 1959 moved to New York and signed for RCA Records.
It was only their Second Single release, that became a Hit Single “Shout” this record was written by The Isleys. This was later recorded by Lulu.
In the early 60’s they moved to Wand Records, where in 1962 they recorded the track “Twist and Shout” not an original Isley Track, but later that year it was used as a Template and released as a Single by none other than “The Beatles”!
During 1965 The Isleys toured and recorded with a then unknown Artist by the name of Jimi Hendryx. It was also 1965 they signed for Tamla Motown Records, having a Great couple of Singles in 1966 “This Old Heart of Mine”(incidentally, this track was originally written for the Four Tops!) and 1967 “Behind a Painted Smile”
By the late 60’s The Isley Bothers had left Tamla Motown!
Checkout a few earlier Isley Brothers Tracks!
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