Jim Gilstrap. 1946-2026
He only released two solo albums but he was a constant part of the soundtrack of 70s and 80s albums because his name always appeared on the credits lists of so many LPs. Check out “Swing Your Daddy” (1975) and “Love Talk” (1976) with its haunting, 13-minute title track. He sang background vocals on some of the most influential and important albums of the 70s and 80s by Stevie Wonder, Syreeta, Side Effect, Quincy Jones, Martha Reeves, Peggy Lee, Les McCann, Stanley Turrentine, Harvey Mason, Bill Withers, Nancy Wilson, Merry Clayton, Gene McDaniels, The Brothers Johnson, Candi Staton, Gene Page, The Blackbyrds, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Leon Haywood, Roberta Flack, Barbra Streisand, Phyllis Hyman, Johnny Mathis, Deniece Williams, Minnie Riperton, Bobby Lyle, Roy Ayers, Wayne Henderson, Dolly Parton, The 5th Dimension, Esther Phillips, Donald Byrd, Patrice Rushen, Michael Jackson, Ramsey Lewis, Ronnie Foster, Narada Michael Walden, Brainstorm, George Benson, The Jacksons, Yarbrough & Peoples, Commodores, Norman Connors, D.J. Rogers, Stacy Lattisaw, Carrie Lucas, Wilton Felder, Lenny Williams, Sarah Vaughan, James Taylor, Jose Feliciano, Billy Preston, Angela Bofill, Elton John, Booker T., Rockie Robbins, Webster Lewis, Jean Carne, Rahmlee, Tower of Power, Sheree Brown, Herbie Hancock, Mystic Merlin, Rodney Franklin, Carl Anderson, Carl Carlton, James Ingram, Peabo Bryson, DeBarge, Tom Scott, Anita Baker, June Pointer, Stanley Clarke, L.J. Reynolds, Patti Austin, Margie Joseph, Aretha Franklin, El DeBarge, Johnny Gill, Chapter 8, Patti LaBelle, Whitney Houston, Joe Sample, The Controllers, Four Tops, Roberto Carlos, Siedah Garrett, Kenny Loggins, Dianne Reeves, Teddy Pendergrass, Gladys Knight, Don Grusin, Rachelle Ferrell, George Duke, Dionne Warwick, and so many more.
On Saturday, Jim Gilstrap died at age 79 as the last surviving member of a family of ten siblings.
