Masterpiece is the 23rd album released by
The Isley Brothers on
Warner Bros. Records on April 29, 1985. For the first time since 1973, the Isley Brothers were a trio composed of the original members
O'Kelly,
Rudolph and
Ronald Isley. It was the last album with O'Kelly Isley; he died a year after the album's release from a heart attack. The fall of 1985 also saw the elder Isleys release Masterpiece.[2] The album is dedicated to their late brother Vernon Isley and their parents Sally & O'Kelly Isley Sr. The album liner notes were written by Elaine Isley.
Track listing
Side one
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1.
"May I?"
Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley, O'Kelly Isley, Elaine Jasper Isley
The album charted at #140 in the US
Billboard 200 while only charting at #19 on the
R&B album chart. "Colder Are My Nights" peaked at #12 on the
R&B charts, while "May I?" charted at #42 in 1986.
^A Touch of Classic Soul 2: The Late 1970s Marc Taylor - 2001 - Page 173
They got off to a good start with "Colder Are My Nights" reaching number 12 on the R&B charts. The brothers followed with "May I?", a pleading love song that was mildly successful in the spring of 1986. However, any joy from the album was negated when Kelly Isley died of a heart attack on March 31, 1986 at age 48.