Vernon Reid says Ernie Isley was “shut out and totally ignored” by guitar publishing, calls on people to boost his following

Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid has called for more people to boost the social media following of Ernie Isley, and says he was “shut out” by music media during the 1970s.

In a collection of social media posts, Reid has gone all-capital letters to encourage a better following for Isley, who rose to fame among his siblings in The Isley Brothers.

• READ MORE: “I’d sleep with my guitars. You can derive comfort and solace from an instrument”: Ernie Isley

The support for Isley comes after Reid has already been calling for better recognition for unsung guitar players, and has been encouraging users on X (formerly Twitter) to grow their following to over 10k. Guitarists he has shouted out recently include Robin Trower, Mike Stern, Elliot Easton and Robert Cray.

In a string of posts, Reid has shared his belief that Isley was not given the coverage and respect he deserved as an artist: “The reason that Ernie Isley barely has any followers now, is that he was marginalised in the ‘70s by the guitar media & rock establishment of that time,” he says.

“They ignored him. Right when the Isleys had a string of hits. No cover stories. Not even a mention. 10K now. Let’s go.”

He also later wrote in a separate post, “Understand – Mr Isley’s incredible Hendrix-inspired work with his brothers whilst being utterly ignored by the ‘70s rock industrial complex made it possible for me to even dream up @LivingColour in the first place.”

You can view his recent posts on the matter below:

THE REASON THAT @ErnieIsley BARELY HAS ANY FOLLOWERS NOW, IS THAT HE WAS MARGINALIZED IN THE 70’s BY THE GUITAR MEDIA & ROCK ESTABLISHMENT OF THAT TIME. THEY IGNORED HIM. RIGHT WHEN THE ISLEYS HAD A STRING OF HITS. NO COVER STORIES. NOT EVEN A MENTION.
10K
NOW.
LETS GO https://t.co/eye0WC5edH

— Vernon Reid (@vurnt22) September 28, 2023

.@ErnieIsley REMAINS UNDER 5K. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. UNDERSTAND-MR ISLEY’S INCREDIBLE HENDRIX INSPIRED WORK WITH HIS BROTHERS WHILST BEING UTTERLY IGNORED BY THE 70’S ROCK INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO EVEN DREAM UP @LivingColour IN THE FIRST PLACE.
10K
LETS
GO…

— Vernon Reid (@vurnt22) October 1, 2023

FIND ME ANY LIST OF ROCK GUITARISTS OF NOTE THAT INCLUDES @ErnieIsley! PARTICULARLY FROM THE 70s & 80s WHEN THE ISLEY BROTHERS HAD HITS FEATURING HIS GUITAR UPRONT? FIND ME THE GUITAR PLAYER COVER THAT FEATURES HIM! THE ENTIRE MEDIA STRUCTURE THAT PROMOTES GUITAR DISSED ERNIE https://t.co/VhoKbuBiS0

— Vernon Reid (@vurnt22) October 1, 2023

THIS IS THE YOUNG MAN WHO WAS SHUT OUT & TOTALLY IGNORED BY THE ROCK GUITAR🎸PUBLISHING & ROCK CRIT ESTABLISHMENT PROMINENT AT THE TIME THIS PHOTOGRAPH WAS TAKEN. @ErnieIsley WAS BELOW 2K WHEN THE CAMPAIGN W @ElliotEastonEE & @mikesternguitar STARTED. NOW 5K+
10K,
LETS
GO!
NOW! https://t.co/rCC4ixEija

— Vernon Reid (@vurnt22) October 3, 2023

PART OF THE REASON GETTING @ErnieIsley TO 10K, IS SUCH A HEAVY LIFT, IS THAT THE CONCERTED EFFORT TO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AS A LEGITIMATE HEIR TO HENDRIX GIVEN HIS ACTUAL, DIRECT PROXIMITY TO JIMI WAS INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL IT’S MIND BOGGLING THAT THOSE EFFORTS ARE STILL AT WORK.

— Vernon Reid (@vurnt22) October 5, 2023

The Isley Brothers are playing some live dates throughout the rest of 2023, and also in February next year. Find out more via their official website. Living Colour are also on the road, with a handful of dates taking place in the UK before the end of the year. Get tickets here.