A biography for Ernie Isleyhasn’t been written yet.
“It's no surprise to me or the other Isley brothers that I can sing, because I used to sing all the time in practice. The surprise is that somebody else likes it.”
“Playing guitar is not a beauty contest.”
“You get to the point in life where you realize you have to roll up your sleeves, deal with the consequences of what happens, and carry your own weight.”
“My first gig was in Philadelphia and I played the drums for my older brothers. That same night, I also played drums for Martha and the Vandellas. Ah, the fond memories of being 14.”
“I got my first guitar in October of 1968. I'm self-taught.”
“Don't believe everything you hear on the street.”
“The muse of music isn't just from Greek mythology, but living in people like the Beatles, Chuck Berry, Anita Baker, Aretha Franklin.”
“There was a lot of music in our home. Mom played piano in church and gave piano lessons.”