Chris Jasper, known for shaping some of The Isley Brothers’ biggest hits, has died, his son Michael Jasper confirms with PEOPLE. He was 73.
Jasper’s family first announced the news on Facebook Monday, Feb. 24. He died the day prior, after being diagnosed with cancer in December 2024, his family said.
Jasper joined The Isley. Brothers in 1973, helping them “[transform]” “from a vocal trio into a self-contained six member R&B/Funk group,” his family said. “His songwriting talent and expertise on keyboards and synthesizers became the cornerstone of the group’s signature sound.”
Jasper helped write, produce and arrange several of the legendary R&B group’s singles, including “For the Love of You,” “Fight the Power” and “Between the Sheets.”
In 1984, Jasper, Ernie and Marvin formed Isley-Jasper-Isley, and went on to release chart-topping songs like 1985’s “Caravan of Love.”
Two years later, Jasper embarked on a solo career and launched Gold City Records, where he released 17 albums, including four gospel albums. His breakout hit “Superbad,” encouraged education and literacy, “a theme he was passionate about throughout his career,” his family said.
He also signed artists like Out Front, Liz Hogue and Brothaz by Choice.
In his later years, he released his greatest hits album, The Essential Chris Jasper, with Sony Music in 2015 and a cover of Billy Preston’s “You Are So Beautiful” titled “Share With Me” in 2016. Most recently, he released For the Love of You, a covers album in 2019, which featured The Isley Brothers’ hits as well as Sam Cooke’s “Nothing Can Change This Love,” “God Is Love” by Marvin Gaye and “Have I Told You Lately” by Van Morrison.
Artists such as Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Snoop Dogg, Gwen Stefani, Will Smith, Queen Latifah and Fantasia have sampled his work.
Jasper, who studied music composition at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 alongside The Isley Brothers. In 2014, he and the group were honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2022, Jasper was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, his loved ones said.
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“He will be deeply missed and his legacy will live on as an inspiration for generations,” the statement, signed “His Loving Family,” concluded.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame also paid tribute, writing on X that Jasper “played a key role in defining the sound of soul and funk in the 1970s and 1980s. A classically trained musician and composer, he led the Isleys’ transition into becoming a self-contained band.”
He is survived by Margie Jasper, his wife of 42 years, and their sons: Michael, Nicholas and Christoper.
PEOPLE reached out to The Isley Brothers’ representative for comment.
Additional reporting by Daniel S. Levine
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