O'Kelly Isley, Jr.

'O'Kelly Isley, Jr.' (December 25 1937 – March 31 1986), was one of the founding members of the legendary family group, The Isley Brothers. Since the group's early years, he contributed heavily to the group's development co-writing some of the Isleys' stand-out hits including "Shout" (he's the one behind Ronnie singing ad-libs with him hollering out "good sound!"), "It's Your Thing", "Lay-Away", "That Lady, Pt. 1 & 2", "Fight the Power Pts. 1 & 2" (to which he incorporated a lead alongside Ronnie and Rudy), and "Between the Sheets".

O'Kelly was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. During his tenure, O'Kelly sometimes sang lead vocals on some of the Isley Brothers songs including "Black Berries" and "Let Me Down Easy" showcasing a similar vocal to that of his younger brother Ronnie. He remained a dedicated member of the group from its 1954 inception until he suddenly died of a heart attack at age 48. O'Kelly's younger brothers Rudolph and Ronald dedicated their 1987 album, Smooth Sailing, to his memory.

Isley was a resident of Alpine, New Jersey. He died in Alpine, New Jersey, and is buried in George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, New Jersey.

From Wikipedia