Legendary R&B crooner Ronald Isley has spent more than six decades making timeless music, but during a recent performance at Philadelphia’s historic Dell Music Center, the legendary Isley Brothers frontman showed fans a much more vulnerable side.
The 85 year old singer was helped onto the stage by his wife, Kandy Isley, as the opening notes of “For the Love of You” played. Without his trademark shades and noticeably not at full strength, Isley quickly revealed why simply making it to the stage meant so much.
“I was in the hospital for five weeks,” Isley told the crowd. “And I want each and every one of you to know everything started here in Philadelphia. Sixty seven years ago. And you’re still here.”
The emotional revelation shifted the energy of a night that already featured a strong lineup. Philadelphia’s own Suzann Christine opened the festivities before Stephanie Mills delivered a powerhouse performance that included classics “Never Knew Love Like This Before,” “I Feel Good All Over” and “Home.”
But when Isley appeared, the evening became bigger than another collection of hits.
Few artists can claim the longevity of The Isley Brothers. Ronald and his brother Ernie Isley, 74, have survived changing eras, sounds and generations while remaining relevant to R&B and Hip Hop audiences. In 2022, the group connected with Beyoncé for a remake of their classic “Make Me Say It Again Girl.”
Hip Hop’s relationship with the Isleys runs even deeper. Ice Cube famously sampled “Footsteps in the Dark” for “It Was a Good Day,” while The Notorious B.I.G. transformed “Between the Sheets” into the foundation of “Big Poppa.” Beyond samples, Isley became an active participant in Hip Hop culture, working with artists including Tupac Shakur, Warren G, Snoop Dogg, UGK and Kendrick Lamar.
Then, of course, there’s Mr. Biggs, Isley’s slick talking alter ego who became part of R&B mythology through records like R. Kelly’s “Down Low” and The Isley Brothers’ “Contagious.”
At the Dell, however, there was no character necessary.
With his shades off and his recent hospitalization clearly still weighing on him physically and emotionally, Isley sat before an audience that seemed less concerned with seeing the untouchable Mr. Biggs than showing appreciation for Ronald Isley the man.
That relationship with Philadelphia stretches back generations, and the crowd made it clear that the love hasn’t faded.
After five weeks in the hospital and nearly seven decades in the business, Isley didn’t need to prove anything that night. Sometimes, just seeing a legend make it back to the stage is enough.