Marvin Isley, bassist for the R&B/funk-infused group the Isley Brothers, died June 6 in Chicago. He was 56.

Isley joined his older brothers in the group in the early 1970s, and started working on <em>3+3</em>, the group’s first gold album. His playing helped usher in a funkier side of the group, with well-known staples such as "Fight the Power," "That Lady" and "For the Love of You."

Marvin split from the Isley Brothers for a brief time, forming the Isley-Jasper-Isley trio, which scored a hit with "Caravan of Love" in 1985. The Isley Brothers were inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and Marvin retired in ’97 due to complications stemming from diabetes.