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Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Chris Jasper, Isley Brothers singer and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, dies at 73
Chris Jasper, a former member of the Isley Brothers who helped the group shape its flamboyant funk-rock sound, has died. The singer-songwriter died Sunday at age 73, his family announced Monday on Facebook, two months after he was diagnosed with cancer in December. The post did not reveal additional details, including Jasper's cause of death and where he died. "He will be deeply missed and his legacy will live on as an inspiration for generations," his family said. Jasper's Gold City Records label and members of his family did not immediately respond to The Times' request for confirmation Tuesday. Jasper's son Michael confirmed his father's death to multiple outlets. Read more: Rick Buckler, former drummer for British rock trio the Jam, dies at 69 Jasper was born Dec. 30, 1951, in Cincinnati and started pursuing music with classical piano in his childhood. His passion for music brought him to the Juilliard School of Music, where he studied musical composition under composer Billy Taylor, and ultimately to the Isley Brothers in the early 1970s. The group in its first iteration comprised brothers O'Kelly Isley, Rudolph Isley, Ronald Isley and Vernon Isley. Despite the 1955 death of Vernon, the group had risen to prominence in the late '50s and early '60s with hits including "Twist and Shout" and "This Old Heart of Mine." Jasper — whose sister Elaine was Rudolph Isley's wife — joined the group as a keyboardist in 1973 along with younger Isley brothers Ernie and Marvin and helped usher in a chapter of slow funk-rock jams. The band made its sextet status official with the release of its 1973 album "3+3." During his time with the Isley Brothers, Jasper wrote, arranged and produced songs including "For the Love of You," "Between the Sheets" and the upbeat "Fight the Power," according to his website. Read more: Slim Dunlap of the Replacements dies at 73 Amid tensions between its eponymous brothers, the group fractured into two smaller groups in the '80s with Jasper keeping close with Ernie and Marvin to form Isley-Jasper-Isley. The trio was known for the songs "Caravan of Love," "Look the Other Way" and "Insatiable Woman." After three albums, Isley-Jasper-Isley disbanded in 1987. That same year Jasper began his solo career and founded his label, Gold City Records. The "Superbad" and 'Share With Me' singer continued his solo work well into his later life. His most recent single, "Be Number One," dropped in July 2024. The Isley Brothers, including Jasper, were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. The group in 2014 also received a lifetime achievement award at the Grammy Awards. Independently, Jasper garnered honors from the National R&B Society and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, among other awards. Read more: Roberta Flack, timeless R&B singer who made 'Killing Me Softly With His Song' a hit, dies at 88 In Monday's announcement his family remembered Jasper as more than a musician: "Chris was a dedicated and loving husband and father." He is survived by his wife of more than 40 years, Margie Jasper, and their three sons, Michael, Nicholas and Christopher, according to the family's post. Get notified when the biggest stories in Hollywood, culture and entertainment go live. Sign up for L.A. Times entertainment alerts. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Chris Jasper, Isley Brothers singer and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, dies at 73
Chris Jasper, a former member of the Isley Brothers who helped the group shape its flamboyant funk-rock sound, has died. The singer-songwriter died Sunday at age 73, his family announced Monday on Facebook, two months after he was diagnosed with cancer in December. The post did not reveal additional details, including Jasper's cause of death and where he died. 'He will be deeply missed and his legacy will live on as an inspiration for generations,' his family said. Jasper's Gold City Records label and members of his family did not immediately respond to The Times' request for confirmation Tuesday. Jasper's son Michael confirmed his father's death to multiple outlets. Jasper was born Dec. 30, 1951, in Cincinnati and started pursuing music with classical piano in his childhood. His passion for music brought him to the Juilliard School of Music, where he studied musical composition under composer Billy Taylor, and ultimately to the Isley Brothers in the early 1970s. The group in its first iteration comprised brothers O'Kelly Isley, Rudolph Isley, Ronald Isley and Vernon Isley. Despite the 1955 death of Vernon, the group had risen to prominence in the late '50s and early '60s with hits including 'Twist and Shout' and 'This Old Heart of Mine.' Jasper — whose sister Elaine was Rudolph Isley's wife — joined the group as a keyboardist in 1973 along with younger Isley brothers Ernie and Marvin and helped usher in a chapter of slow funk-rock jams. The band made its sextet status official with the release of its 1973 album '3+3.' During his time with the Isley Brothers, Jasper wrote, arranged and produced songs including 'For the Love of You,' 'Between the Sheets' and the upbeat 'Fight the Power,' according to his website. Amid tensions between its eponymous brothers, the group fractured into two smaller groups in the '80s with Jasper keeping close with Ernie and Marvin to form Isley-Jasper-Isley. The trio was known for the songs 'Caravan of Love,' 'Look the Other Way' and 'Insatiable Woman.' After three albums, Isley-Jasper-Isley disbanded in 1987. That same year Jasper began his solo career and founded his label, Gold City Records. The 'Superbad' and 'Share With Me' singer continued his solo work well into his later life. His most recent single, 'Be Number One,' dropped in July 2024. The Isley Brothers, including Jasper, were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. The group in 2014 also received a lifetime achievement award at the Grammy Awards. Independently, Jasper garnered honors from the National R&B Society and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, among other awards. In Monday's announcement his family remembered Jasper as more than a musician: 'Chris was a dedicated and loving husband and father.' He is survived by his wife of more than 40 years, Margie Jasper, and their three sons, Michael, Nicholas and Christopher, according to the family's post.
USA Today
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Chris Jasper, who helped The Isley Brothers turn funk, dead at 73
Hear this story Chris Jasper, a celebrated singer-songwriter who helped steer The Isley Brothers during some of their most successful years, died Sunday, People Magazine and the Independent report. He was 73. His death follows a 2024 cancer diagnosis, a post to his Facebook page, apparently written by his family, revealed. The type of cancer was not specified. "He will be deeply missed and his legacy will live on as an inspiration for generations," it read. USA TODAY has reached out to reps for Jasper for comment. A classically trained musician and composter, Jasper helped write, produce and arrange much of The Isley Brothers' music from 1973 to 1983. Joining brothers Ernie and Marvin Isley, he helped usher in a new era for the group, transforming it from a more classic vocal trio to a six-man R&B, funk powerhouse. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. Jasper's pen and influence were behind classics like "For the Love of You," "Between the Sheets," and "Fight the Power." Their 1970-80s sound, a novel mashup of slow-grooving R&B and upbeat electronica, helped secure The Isley Brothers a spot in the pantheon of musical innovators. In 1984, when the sextuplet disbanded, he took two of the Isley brothers with him to form Isley-Jasper-Isley, a soul-funk group that found success in 1985 with peace and love-infused track "Caravan of Love." Jasper broke out on his own in 1987, launching a solo career that would include the release of nearly two dozen R&B albums under Gold City Records, a label he founded. His music has continued to be sampled by a new generation of R&B and rap stars, appearing in tracks from Queen Latifah, Tupac, Biggie and Aaliyah. Rudolph Isley, founding memberof The Isley Brothers and 'Shout' songwriter, dies at 84 An illustrious and decades-spanning career landed Jasper, as part of The Isley Brothers, in both the Songwriters and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022 and 1992, respectively. In 2014, he received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, again, as part of the group. "Beyond his musical achievements, Chris was a dedicated and loving husband and father," the Facebook post said. "He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Margie Jasper, a New York-based attorney and author, and his three sons Michael, Nicholas, and Christopher."
The Independent
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Chris Jasper, Isley Brothers star behind ‘Between the Sheets' and ‘Caravan of Love', dies aged 73
Chris Jasper, the writer and producer who helped shape some of The Isley Brothers' biggest hits, has died aged 73. The news was confirmed by his son, Michael Jasper, who said he died following a diagnosis with cancer in December last year. Jasper joined The Isley Brothers in 1973 and was credited with helping the trio 'transform' into a six-member funk and R&B group. 'His songwriting talent and expertise on keyboards and synthesisers became the cornerstone of the group's signature sound,' his family said in a statement to Jasper's Facebook page. Born on 30 December 1951 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Jasper trained in classical music and composition at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City. After graduating, he joined his brother-in-law, Rudolph Isley, along with O'Kelly Isley Jr and Ronald Isley, and their younger brothers Ernie and Marvin, to turn the former trio into a complete band. Together, they created some of the group's biggest albums including Between the Sheets and The Heat is On, along with singles such as 'Fight the Power' and 'For the Love of You'. The band splintered in 1984 and Jesper formed Isley-Jasper-Isley with Ernie and Marvin, achieving international acclaim with further hits such as 1985's 'Caravan of Love'. An acapella cover of the song by British indie band The Housemartins topped the UK singles chart in 1986. 'I had been looking at the world scene quite a bit,' Jasper said in one interview. 'I wasn't pleased with what I was seeing.' The lyrics, which carried a message of hope, were written around a tune he'd found himself humming for a month. When he began writing down his thoughts on a blank notepad, he realised he'd finished the song after 20 minutes: 'Are you ready for the time of your life?/ It's time to stand up and fight... The place where mankind was born/ Is so neglected and torn.' Jasper took on lead vocal duties for the song as well as keyboard, recording with the band at a studio in East Orange, New Jersey, as the first track to their second album. It languished on America's R&B charts for six months until The Housemartins picked it up and helped bring it to international recognition. Jasper later recorded as a solo artist and founded Gold City Record, signing other artists including R&B singer Liz Hogue. He continued to release music well into his sixties, including a 2019 covers album, For the Love of You, featuring The Isley Brothers' hits and interpretations of 'God is Love' by Marvin Gaye and Sam Cooke's 'Nothing Can Change This Love'. His work was also popular among hip-hop artists such as Tupac Shakur, Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg, all of whom sampled his work. Arguably one of the most recognisable instances was when The Notorious BIG used 'Between the Sheets' on his 1994 jam 'Big Poppa'. Jasper is survived by his wife of 42 years, Margie Jasper, a New York-based attorney and author, and his three sons Michael, Nicholas, and Christopher, his family said. 'He will be deeply missed and his legacy will live on as an inspiration for generations.'
