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Ernie Isley Receives Lifetime Achievement Award From Guitar Center Music Foundation

Ernie Isley, master guitarist and member of legendary group The Isley Brothers, received much-deserved roses from The Guitar Center Music Foundation.

“It’s such an honor to be a part of this because Ernie’s influence has been truly unrecognized for a long time,” said award presenter and fellow guitarist-songwriter Vernon Reid, founder of the rock band Living Colour. Also drawing hearty applause and ovations were guitarist Ray Parker Jr., aka Mr. Ghostbuster, who joined the band on 1978’s soulful “Groove With You”; Toto co-founder Steve Lukather chiming in with his roof-raising strut work on the Isleys’ 1974 cover of the Seals and Crofts classic “Summer Breeze”; and Melanie Faye, showcasing her next-gen guitar skills on the Isleys’ slow jam “Footsteps in the Dark” — a 1977 song that Ernie wrote and on which he also played guitar and drums. You finally made it!” Ernie then picked up his guitar, joined by Reid, Grammy-nominated singer Eric Benét and the band, and rocketed into a powerful performance of one of the Isleys’ top signature songs, “That Lady.”

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