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Marvin Isley, the bass player for the legendary Isley Brothers, passed away today at the age of 56 in a chicago hospital due to a unreleased cause at the time of this post.

Marvin was instrumental in giving them their distictive sound that set them a part from the rest, especially during the mid to late 70’s.

Isley stopped performing in 1996 because of complications from diabetes. By that time, he’d suffered a stroke, had a kidney transplant, lost both his legs, and the use of his left hand.  During the later part of his life, he dedicated his time to diabetes research to help find a cure.

“If I had listened, maybe these things wouldn’t have happened, musician Marvin Isley says of his medical ordeals”.  “It’s a sneaky disease. It’s silent”, Isley says.  Diabetes is a very serious disease with a lot of devastating effects. “Finally, I’m doing it right — no sugar, no salt, but I could have done it right years ago.”

Isley and his wife, Sheila had taken up diabetes awareness as spokespeople for the American Diabetes Association, including appearing at African American outreach programs and on an educational video before is death.

The Isley Brothers have spanned more than five decades, producing popular hits such as “Shout,” “Fight the Power” and the Grammy-winning 1969 smash, “It’s Your Thing.”

Even though they were not known as a gospel group, many of us grew up listening to their music, let us pray for the remaining brothers and their families.