Overview

In Driftin’ on a Memory: Celebrating Seventy Years of the Isley Brothers, Trenton Bailey tells the story of this groundbreaking musical act. The Isley Brothers began recording as a vocal trio consisting of the brothers O'Kelly Isley Jr., Rudolph Isley, and Ronald Isley in the 1950s. They have covered a wide range of genres, including gospel, doo-wop, rock ‘n’ roll, R&B, the Motown sound, funk, and disco, and their music has been sampled by numerous hip hop artists. The Isley Brothers achieved their first hit ""Shout"" in 1959 and have reached the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart with new music in six different decades, from the 1950s to the 2000s. The brothers experienced their golden age from 1973 to 1983 with the addition of three younger brothers. With three instrumentalists, including composer and arranger Chris Jasper, the Isleys became a self-contained band and released a string of platinum albums. Over the years, the Isley Brothers have adapted the group, adding and losing members over time, but have always included a brother. Today, Ernie and Ronald Isley are still performing, keeping the Isley Brothers a household name and remaining a serious force in pop culture. The remarkable longevity of the Isley Brothers has solidified their status as one of America's most influential musical groups.

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9781496859754

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Reviews

Driftin' on a Memory: Celebrating Seventy Years of The Isley Brothers is an extraordinary achievement in Black music history and cultural scholarship. With precision and passion, the book chronicles the remarkable career of The Isley Brothers, gifted artists whose sound has defined generations of art and sound in the late twentieth century and early twenty-first century, and whose legacy is inseparable from the broader story of African American resilience, innovation, and artistry. From gospel roots to global acclaim, Trenton Bailey captures the social context, cultural impact, and broader meaning of The Isleys, situating their artistry and creativity within the struggles, triumphs, and transformations of African American life and the broader American society. This book is more than a biography; it is a cultural document that honors the depth of Black creativity while reminding us why The Isleys' music remains timeless. Essential reading for scholars, fans, and anyone who has an appreciation that rhythm and soul are part of the heartbeat of history.--Reynaldo Anderson, associate professor of Africology and African American studies at Temple University

Author Information

Trenton Bailey is a historian from Memphis, Tennessee, who currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia. An honors graduate of Morehouse College, he earned his PhD in humanities with a concentration in African American studies from Clark Atlanta University. Bailey has taught courses in African history, African American history, world history, and funk music, specifically. He was coordinator for the Morehouse Oral History Project and has done extensive research on the history of Morehouse College. Bailey is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and various organizations related to Black American life and culture. He is author of Do You Remember? Celebrating Fifty Years of Earth, Wind & Fire, published by University Press of Mississippi.

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