God Bless Ronnie Isley on his Birthday. Happy Birthday Ron!
Your thoughts on Ron's "Mr. Big" alter-ego. [[pic above) Bump to career? Mistake?
Happy Birthday to Ronald Isley!
I met Ron Isley back in the early 90's on 5th Ave in NYC, a bright moment indeed for me.
He was cordial, shook my hand. Happy Birthday to the legend...That whole Mr Biggs thing
was just a character, role play thing R Kelly started up to facilitate music videos and give
Ron a wider fan base that included the younger of the day. That time's R&B and hip hop fans. Us old school folks were tickled but most of us didn't need it....
He was born in 1941 so he's 79.
Only good thing Pedo Kelly did was reintroduce the Isleys to a new generation. I was part of the generation that remember the Mr. Biggs saga. But Ron Isley was already a legend by the time that happened. It wasn't a mistake until the "Body Kiss" album lol
Thankfully, their next album, "Baby Making Music", was better though Ernie should've been included more on it. But Ron Isley is one of the greatest singers of all time.
Ron and the other Isleys do not get the credit they deserve for shaping and reshaping popular music, from gospel to rock and roll to soul to funk to hard rock to quiet storm ballads and slow jams to new jack swing [[Between the Sheets and Real Deal preceded it IMHO...shout out to Chris Jasper) to yes, hip-hop.
Last edited by midnightman; 05-22-2020 at 12:22 AM.
R also reintroduced Unk Charlie to the millennials too. [[remember "Charlie Last Name Wilson?") Like Ron's duet w/Miss Patti too! [["Go Solo") Ditto about the other Brothers too. Especially that wicked rock axe!!! Nobody even mentions that! Travesty! Yes & Chris Jasper's output too, including Isley Jasper Isley. Lurv your post midnightman. Spot on.
...and Ron's failed wedding to Angela Winbush & lockup for tax evasion is unfortunately part of his history.
I believe Ron and Ang were together 8 or 9 years so the wedding didn't fail, the marriage
did. Lots do, at least they parted peacefully. As far as the prison time, it only took a couple
of years from him, he got through it, was respected by both guards and inmates and was
actually allowed to sing, so he's still a survivor...Still icon Ron Isley...
I cannot think of another artist that had hits in the 50s,60s, 70s, 80s. 90s and 2000s!
Thanks.
I always argued that the Isley Brothers were a very legit rock band in the tradition of Funkadelic, Mandrill and Fishbone. They practically paved the way for it. Again, no credit. It really sucks. Ernie Isley and that guitar, Ron's voice fit either in a funk song, a rock song or a soul ballad. I can go on and on about them. They're that good.
And then don't forget that before the younger brothers and in-law joined, they had to tend with white AND black artists copping from em, from the Beatles and "Twist & Shout" to the J.B.'s [["The Grunt" in '70) and "Keep On Doin'" from late '69. I mean, again, very underrated group of legends.
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