How many isley brothers are there

“If it were not for the Isley Brothers, the Beatles would still be in Liverpool” said Paul McCartney regarding the influence of the Isley Brothers on the Beatles’ career.

Formed in the mid-’50s as a teenage gospel quartet by the eldest four Isley Brothers (O’Kelly, Rudolph, Ronald and Vernon), the original configuration of the group quit performing when Vernon was tragically killed at age 13 when riding his bike.

In 1957, at the urging of their parents, the remaining three brothers moved to New York City to make it as a rock ’n’ roll band, and the first song they wrote together was “Shout!” — a massive smash that had multiple lives thanks to its inclusion on the Animal House soundtrack and is probably playing at an event near you, right now.

From that first single and album in 1959, the Isley Brothers repeatedly redefined what their music was and what it was called, and dominated the black music charts like no band before or since.

The Isley Brothers can count both Jimi Hendrix (who toured as their backing guitarist in the early ‘60s) and Elton John

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