It can be argued that the most influential living group in all of popular music is the 57-years and running R&B group the Isley Brothers. The Beatles covered their hit "Twist & Shout" and turned it into cultural fabric. The movie "Animal House" resuscitated their first hit "Shout" and kept Toga parties going for an extra half century.
And when the times changed, the Isley Brothers changed with them - sometimes laying down the track before the races were ready to be run. They hired a young Jimi Hendrix, who showed flashes of his guitar heroics to come on the Isley's minor hit "Testify" in 1965. After Hendrix's meteoric rise and fall made the world safe for black guitar heroes, Ernie Isley's anthemic solo on "That Lady" put the Isleys back on the hit parade and placed himself alongside Hendrix and Eddie Hazel in the pantheon.
Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s the Isley Brothers stayed on top of the R&B world, thanks to both Ernie's guitar funk and Ronald's angelic tenor. Together they helped invent the modern R&B ballad template with hits like "Between The Sheets."
After their "Behind the Music" implosion in the late 1980s, they regrouped in early 1990s and hooked up with R Kelly - who eventually produced their 2001 smash hit "Contagious" - which made the Isley Brothers the first ever group to chart in six decades.
Sunday's performance at Sun Life Stadium for Jazz In The Gardens is the first South Florida Isley Brothers show in many years. That more than enough reason to go, even you aren't into their co-headliners Branford Marsalis (the token jazz artist on Sunday's bill) and 1990s soul-pop act EnVouge.
Advance tickets for Sunday's lineup range from $45 -$70. A two day pass for Saturday and Sunday ranges from $70-$125. Doors open at 3PM. The Isley Brothers are scheduled to perform at 10:15, Sunday Night.
http://beintheheights.com/nicbrown
WINNINGGGG!!! Are we still saying that now? In any case, like the Sheen says, but still need your votes to get those
In The Heights tickets for the Miami show. Please vote, often, I'll be forever grateful.
Thanks so much all! :D
Posted by: nicole | 03/18/2011 at 10:21 PM
Ron Isley can sing!!! Was thinking he should be on Simon Cowells X Factor as a judge..i think he would do good and share some insight some of the contestants... Auditions start April 7th in Miami
Posted by: BMatthew | 03/29/2011 at 06:32 PM