Marvin Isley

Who was Marvin Isley?

Marvin Isley was the youngest member of the family music group the Isley Brothers and its bass guitarist.

Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Isley and his family moved to a home in Englewood, New Jersey in the summer of 1959. Isley eventually graduated from Englewood's Dwight Morrow High School in 1972. In 1976, he graduated from C.W. Post College with a degree in music.

Marvin began playing bass guitar while in high school and by the end of the decade was being tutored and mentored by his elder brothers alongside elder brother Ernie and their friend, Chris Jasper, who was an in-law. By 1971, Marvin began performing bass guitar on The Isley Brothers' album, Givin' It Back. Within two years, he became an official member of the group. In addition to playing bass, he also provided percussion and also wrote or co-wrote some of the group's hits including "Fight the Power", "The Pride" and "Between the Sheets". Breaking away from the Isleys in 1984, he, Ernie and Chris formed the trio, Isley-Jasper-Isley, who had a hit in 1985 with "Caravan of Love". The group broke up in 1988 after Ernie Isley signed a solo recording deal.