Jim Gilstrap, voice on Stevie Wonder classic, dies at 79
The session singer also performed the Good Times theme and worked with major stars across a career that spanned more than five decades.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
2 min read
Jim Gilstrap, the singer whose voice helped power Stevie Wonder’s “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” and the theme to the 1970s sitcom “Good Times,” has died at 79, according to his family.
His nephew, Geoffrey Gilstrap, said in a statement that Gilstrap died Saturday in Los Angeles from natural causes. The family did not disclose a more specific cause of death.
Gilstrap built a long career as a session vocalist, lending his voice to records by some of the biggest names in soul, pop and R&B. His work with Wonder put him inside one of the most celebrated runs in 1970s music.
A key voice in Wonder’s classic era
Gilstrap contributed to “You Are the Sunshine of My Life,” which appeared on Wonder’s 1972 album “Talking Book.” Wonder later won the Grammy Award for best male pop vocal performance for the song, with Gilstrap’s vocals part of the recording’s sound.
His connection with Wonder did not stop there. Gilstrap also sang on other Wonder projects, including “Fulfillingness’ First Finale,” “Wonderlove” and “Innerversions,” according to the family account of his career.
For TV fans, Gilstrap’s voice is tied to another familiar piece of 1970s culture: the opening theme to “Good Times.” The sitcom’s theme became one of his best-known performances outside the studio world.
Solo records and a packed credits list
Gilstrap also stepped out front as a solo artist. In 1975, he released “Swing Your Daddy” and “I’m on Fire,” both featured on his album “Swing Your Daddy.” He later released a second solo album, “Love Talk.”
His session work stretched far beyond Wonder. Gilstrap’s credits included collaborations with Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Anita Baker, Whitney Houston, James Ingram, George Benson, Bill Withers, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, Patti LaBelle, Kenny Loggins, Dolly Parton and Teddy Pendergrass.
That roster tells the story of a singer trusted by powerhouse artists across genres and generations. Gilstrap’s family described a career that lasted more than five decades, much of it spent adding unmistakable vocal muscle to records that reached millions of listeners.
Gilstrap was 79.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.