Deep Dive Music 🎄 Day 25 — The Isley Brothers featuring Ronald Isley

🎄 Deep Dive Music: Christmas Edition
A series where I dig into songs I chose on a whim on some night leading up to Christmas (and it's usually more than just one song),
keeping the same temperature of that moment.
—It's more of a habit now than a project.
That's Deep Dive Music.

There were times when The Isley Brothers
seemed like almost a solo project for Ronald Isley
before anyone realized it.
But I don't think anyone could deny that.

By the time I was in junior high,
Ronald was already a complete veteran.
And yet,
he has always been at the forefront.
This fact alone
shows just how extraordinary his career is.

Of course, he is no stranger to the ups and downs of life.
He has navigated through twists and turns, highs and lows,
and the waves of every era.

Caravan of Love isn't even
credited to The Isley Brothers.
Even so, the "classy soul" and "temperature close to a prayer"
flowing through that song are undoubtedly in Ronald's bloodline.

Ronald Isley's voice is
the very essence of R&B.
Sweet, glossy,
and carrying a hint of shadow.
A voice that lets you know it's R&B from the very first note.

And yet—
The Isley Brothers' music
always seems to have a guitar like Jimi Hendrix's woven into it.

That is neither a coincidence nor an afterthought.

When Jimi Hendrix was
still unknown,
he lived with the Isley family for a time.
There, a youngErnie Isley grew up
watching, listening to, and soaking in Jimi's guitar from a daily distance.

That is why,
even after Jimi passed away,
the shadow of Hendrix remained
in The Isley Brothers' guitar work.

Right in the heart of R&B,
the blood of a rock god is mixed in.

That's why The Isley Brothers' sound
isn't just sweet.
Sometimes it's sharp,
sometimes it's dangerous,
and even though it's soul, it has the scent of rock.

That is irresistibly cool.

Ronald doesn't pander to trends.
But he doesn't get left behind by the times either.
Before you know it,
young artists are
sampling his voice,
featuring him,
and connecting it to the next generation.

The Isley Brothers
aren't just oldies.
They are always in the present tense.

That's why I've always loved them,
and I think I always will.

Christmas doesn't belong to anyone.
It's a season you receive according to the mood of the year.

©️Chat Literature