Isley Brothers Musician Chris Jasper Dies at 73

Chris Jasper, keyboardist and vocalist with the Isley Brothers, died on February 23, 2005, at the age of 73. His family announced his passing in a Facebook post and said that he had been diagnosed with cancer in December 2024.

Jasper’s family grew up in the same Cincinnati apartment complex as the Isleys, and his older sister Elaine married Rudolph Isley. Jasper formed a band with the younger Isleys, Marvin and Ernie, and in 1973, joined the older Isleys, Rudolph, Ronald and O’Kelly, transforming their band from, according to this family’s Facebook post, “a vocal trio into a self-contained six member R&B/Funk group. His songwriting talent and expertise on keyboards and synthesizers became the cornerstone of the group’s signature sound. Chris was instrumental in writing, arranging, and producing numerous hits, including classics like ‘For the Love of You,’ ‘Between the Sheets,’ and ‘Fight the Power.'”