Fri 10/25 @ noon
Sat 10/26 @ 8PM
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is honoring yet another inductee with a special fan day filled with activities. The Isley Brothers, out of the Cincinnati area’s fertile R&B scene, were inducted in 1992, following a career that at that point had already spanned more than three decades.
Like so many other such groups, they began singing gospel, gradually segueing into R&B and pop. In the mid 60s, Jimi Hendrix did a brief stint with them. But their mainstream success didn’t explode until the late 60s, when their 1969 “It’s Your Thing” captured the era’s rising funk spirit and soared to the #2 position on the pop charts. It remained their biggest hit although they charted throughout the 70s, including a couple of other top 10 hits, “That Lady” and “Fight the Power.” Today 78-year-old Ron remains from the original brothers, with younger brother and longtime member Ernie, age 67, still part of the group.
At noon, Fri 10/25, the duo will sit down on the Rock Hall’s Klipsch Audio Stage for an interview to talk about their career and some of its many highlights. The Rock Hall will also air excerpts from the group’s induction, Erie’s tribute to Hendrix, and Ron’s performance at the Music Masters concert for Aretha Franklin. That event is free.
In addition to the interview, the Hall of Fame will play highlights from the Isley Brothers’ 1992 Induction, including their performance of “Shout” and Ernie Isley’s tribute to Jimi Hendrix, and Ron Isley’s performance at the Hall of Fame’s Music Masters event honoring Aretha Franklin. It will also put some Isley Brothers artifacts on display.
Then on Sat 10/26 , the group will perform at the State Theatre at Playhouse Square, along with northeast Ohio’s O’Jays, whose history is almost as lengthy as the Isley Brothers. Go here for tickets.
1100 Rock and Roll Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44114
Cleveland, OH 44115