Ronald Isley is the lead singer of the Black American ensemble the Isley Brothers, a group whose journey began in the mid-1950s as a young gospel quartet in Cincinnati. After the death of their brother Vernon at thirteen, Ronald, O'Kelly and Rudolph Isley moved to New York in 1957 and wrote "Shout" together, their breakout anthem, and their debut album followed in 1959. Later albums included Givin' It Back, 3 + 3 and Go for Your Guns, reflecting a repertoire that crossed soul, rock and funk. Jimi Hendrix and Elton John both played in the band before their own fame.
After leaving Motown in late 1968, the group launched its own T-Neck label, and "It's Your Thing," released in 1969, won the Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. The Isley Brothers are among the most sampled groups in music, with their songs carried into later work by Drake, Jay-Z, Notorious B.I.G. and Megan Thee Stallion.
A 2010 report on his return to recording described a duet with Aretha Franklin on "You've Got a Friend" and work with producer Tricky Stewart.
Recent years have kept the band in motion. In 2022, the album Make Me Say It Again, Girl featured a title track with Beyoncé that reached number one, and Ron and Ernie Isley continue to tour. The group entered the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014, and in January 2026 the Isley Brothers received a recording star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
