Singer and Keyboardist Of Isley Brothers Chris Jasper Dead At 73

After receiving a cancer diagnosis in December, Chris Jasper, the renowned vocalist, songwriter, and keyboardist for the Isley Brothers and Isley-Jasper-Isley, died on Sunday at the age of 73. His family sent a statement on his official Facebook page confirming the devastating news.

Jasper left a legacy of enduring grooves, strong lyrics, and memorable music that influenced R&B, funk, and soul for decades.

From Classical Beginnings to R&B Greatness

Jasper was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on December 30, 1951, and his love of music began at a young age. Before attending the Juilliard School of Music in New York, where he refined his compositional abilities, he studied classical music as a child.

His sister, Elaine, married Rudolph Isley, and his family shared an apartment building in Cincinnati with the Isleys, so his relationship with the Isley Brothers went beyond music.

When Jasper joined the Jazzman Trio with Marvin and Ernie Isley in 1973, they formally became part of the Isley Brothers, turning the vocal trio into a major force in R&B and funk. 3+3 (1973), their debut album together, was a huge hit, hitting platinum and into the Top 10. The Heat Is On (1975), which peaked at number one on the charts, was among the subsequent hits.

The band’s greatest singles, such as the Top 5 hit “Fight the Power,” were written and produced in large part by Jasper.

Breaking New Ground with Isley-Jasper-Isley

After the Isley Brothers split in 1984, Jasper continued making music with Marvin and Ernie Isley under the name Isley-Jasper-Isley. The trio released three albums between 1984 and 1987, scoring a No. 1 R&B hit with “Caravan of Love” in 1985.

When the group disbanded in 1987, Jasper launched a successful solo career and founded his own label, Gold City Records. His debut solo album, Superbad (1988), produced a No. 1 R&B hit with its title track making him a force in the music industry.

A Lasting Influence on Music

Jasper’s contributions to music were widely recognized. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Isley Brothers in 1992, received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014, and was honored by the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2022. His influence extended far beyond his own recordings—his music was sampled by artists like Whitney Houston, Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, Justin Bieber, and Kendrick Lamar.

Through it all, Jasper remained a true champion of soul music. As he told R&B Junkie, “I believe soul music is music that will always be played. It’s just, who’s gonna play it? Soul music has a certain thing to it that reaches inside you. That’s why it’s called soul music and that’s where it gets its name from, so it’s gonna always be there. I just wish more people were producing it. I’m gonna always produce it because that’s what I am. I’m a soul/R&B artist, so it’s not gonna go anywhere as long as I’m here.”