Everyday Creation
Everyday Creation is about living our purpose, lifting our vibes, and expressing our creativity for the highest good. The show's title refers to three types of creation: The ways we express ourselves (for example, with art, music and so many other pursuits fueled by purpose and passion); the parts of life that fill us with awe — birth, death, love, the big picture; and our innate personal power to create our best possible lives while also making the world a better place. You’ll hear conversations with terrific guests on matters we care about, as well as spiritual perspectives, personal essays on being our best selves, and episodes simply for information and fun. I'm your host Kate Jones, welcoming you to Everyday Creation.
Everyday Creation
Tribute to Rudolph Isley, featuring Sheldon Zoldan
Rudolph Isley, one of the original Isley Brothers and the flamboyant dresser of the three, was an integral member of the band although he wasn't the lead singer or songwriter.
This episode is one of 44 tributes to significant figures in the music industry who passed away in 2023.
Rudolph received a co-writing credit for "It's Your Thing," the first hit the Isley Brothers wrote and produced. It went to number two on the Billboard Hot 100.
In the chapters, you'll see a picture of the brothers in 1969, with Rudolph on the left, Ronald in the middle, and O'Kelly Isley Jr. The photo, which is from a trade ad for "It's Your Thing," is attributed to T-Neck Records and available on Wikimedia Commons. To hear the song, go here.
Also in the chapters, you can go right to the tribute by skipping my intro; feel free to skip my closing remarks too. Both are there to provide context for those who haven't listened to the other tributes.
Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime writer and editor, wrote and recorded this tribute and the others in the series. Sheldon also writes Song of the Day, a music-related story sent daily to an email list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email shzoldan@comcast.net with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.
Audio engineer/musician Mike Villegas edited all the audio for this series. Hope you enjoy these intriguing glimpses into the lives of the people who made some of the music we love.
This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation, available on YouTube and in podcast directories including Apple, Spotify and Audible.
Kate:
00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:03.120
Hello, and welcome to Everyday Creation. This is
00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:06.500
your host, Kate Jones, with one of 44
00:00:07.255 --> 00:00:07.755
tributes
00:00:08.135 --> 00:00:10.475
to significant figures in the music industry
00:00:10.855 --> 00:00:12.955
who passed away in 2023.
00:00:14.215 --> 00:00:15.915
My guest Sheldon Zoldan,
00:00:16.340 --> 00:00:18.600
a longtime writer and newspaper editor,
00:00:19.060 --> 00:00:20.520
wrote these short biographies
00:00:20.900 --> 00:00:22.040
and recorded them.
00:00:22.740 --> 00:00:24.840
Each one is an intriguing
00:00:25.485 --> 00:00:28.765
glimpse into the life and impact of someone
00:00:28.765 --> 00:00:29.665
who contributed
00:00:30.045 --> 00:00:32.845
to the soundtracks of our lives. Here's what
00:00:32.845 --> 00:00:34.705
Sheldon has to say in this tribute.
Sheldon:
00:00:36.110 --> 00:00:39.410
Rudolph Isley is remembered for being the flamboyant
00:00:39.710 --> 00:00:41.490
dresser of the Isley brothers.
00:00:42.110 --> 00:00:45.010
But clothes didn't make the man, music did.
00:00:45.695 --> 00:00:48.335
Rudolph was one of the three original Isley
00:00:48.335 --> 00:00:48.835
Brothers.
00:00:49.615 --> 00:00:51.955
He remained part of the act for 32
00:00:52.095 --> 00:00:52.595
years
00:00:52.990 --> 00:00:55.330
until leaving to become a Christian minister.
00:00:56.190 --> 00:00:58.050
Rudolph died October 11th
00:00:58.510 --> 00:01:01.765
from an apparent heart attack in his suburban
00:01:01.765 --> 00:01:02.905
Chicago home.
00:01:03.445 --> 00:01:04.505
He was 84.
00:01:05.925 --> 00:01:08.680
The brothers honed their singing in the church
00:01:09.140 --> 00:01:10.200
choir in Cincinnati.
00:01:11.860 --> 00:01:14.200
Rudolph moved to New York with his brothers,
00:01:14.260 --> 00:01:16.600
Kelly and Ronnie, when they were teenagers.
00:01:17.605 --> 00:01:20.805
Rudolph's obit reads as much as an obit
00:01:20.805 --> 00:01:22.825
for the group as for him.
00:01:23.365 --> 00:01:26.185
He was an integral part of the band
00:01:26.580 --> 00:01:28.840
but he usually wasn't the lead singer.
00:01:29.140 --> 00:01:31.700
And even though he received writing credits on
00:01:31.700 --> 00:01:32.840
most of the songs,
00:01:33.220 --> 00:01:34.760
he wasn't the lead contributor.
00:01:35.965 --> 00:01:38.785
The Isley Brothers had their first hit, "Shout,"
00:01:38.845 --> 00:01:39.825
in 1959.
00:01:40.765 --> 00:01:41.985
They joined Motown
00:01:42.365 --> 00:01:44.540
but didn't have the success that some other
00:01:44.540 --> 00:01:45.920
Motown groups had.
00:01:46.300 --> 00:01:48.780
They were more successful after starting their own
00:01:48.780 --> 00:01:49.600
record label.
00:01:50.220 --> 00:01:51.600
They mixed funk
00:01:52.135 --> 00:01:55.355
and rock along with some soul. It worked.
00:01:55.735 --> 00:01:57.755
Every album they released between
00:01:58.135 --> 00:01:58.635
1973 and
00:01:59.815 --> 00:02:00.315
1981
00:02:00.935 --> 00:02:01.755
went gold.
00:02:02.680 --> 00:02:07.000
Rudolph's wardrobe became funkier too. He wore furs
00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:09.180
and carried a bejeweled cane.
00:02:10.365 --> 00:02:12.065
He left the group in 1989
00:02:12.445 --> 00:02:14.145
to become a Christian minister.
00:02:15.405 --> 00:02:17.505
He later sued his brother Ronald,
00:02:18.130 --> 00:02:21.490
claiming Ronald tried to trademark the group under
00:02:21.490 --> 00:02:22.710
only his name.
00:02:23.490 --> 00:02:26.370
Rudolph received a co-writing credit for our
00:02:26.370 --> 00:02:27.510
Song of the Day,
00:02:27.905 --> 00:02:29.045
"It's Your Thing."
00:02:29.585 --> 00:02:31.745
It was the first hit they wrote and
00:02:31.745 --> 00:02:32.245
produced.
00:02:33.105 --> 00:02:35.045
The brothers released it in 1969
00:02:35.665 --> 00:02:37.620
and it went to number 2 on the
00:02:37.620 --> 00:02:38.840
Billboard Hot 100.
Sheldon:
00:02:40.100 --> 00:02:42.100
This is Kate again. Please go to the
00:02:42.100 --> 00:02:44.660
description for more information and to hear the
00:02:44.660 --> 00:02:46.040
song that Sheldon referenced.
00:02:46.495 --> 00:02:48.815
If you enjoyed this tribute, please check out
00:02:48.815 --> 00:02:50.735
the rest of them. Although some of the
00:02:50.735 --> 00:02:53.295
names are not as familiar as others, the
00:02:53.295 --> 00:02:53.795
biographies
00:02:54.415 --> 00:02:55.955
are equally intriguing.
00:02:56.830 --> 00:02:59.410
Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation.
00:02:59.950 --> 00:03:02.270
Please share this episode with anyone who might
00:03:02.270 --> 00:03:02.769
enjoy it.
