The post Ronnie Wilson, Co-Founder of The Gap Band, Has Died at the Age of 73 appeared first on Consequence. Ronnie Wilson, co-founder and multi-instrumentalist of the pioneering funk band The Gap Band, died at the age of 73. Wilson’s wife, Linda, told TMZ that her husband had a stroke last week and never recovered. He died early Tuesday morning (November 2nd). The Gap Band was formed by brothers Ronnie, Charlie, and Robert Wilson in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
After beginning as a backing band for fellow Oklahoman Leon Russell, the brothers found their own success after collaborating with record producer Lonnie Simmons and signing with Mercury Records. The Gap Band’s self-titled album from 1979 yielded the group’s first top ten single, “Shake.” The band’s follow-up album, The Gap Band II, went gold the following year, thanks in part to the single “Don’t Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops!),” which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard R&B charts.
Mark Ronson sampled the song on his hit single “Uptown Funk” 25 years later.The Gap Band rose to prominence after Charlie Wilson collaborated with Stevie Wonder on “I Ain’t Gonna Stand For It” in 1980. Their third album, The Gap Band III, debuted at No. 1 on the R&B charts and No. 16 on the Billboard 200, with three top ten singles: “Yearning for Your Love,” “Burn Rubber on Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me),” and “Humpin.
” Two years later, The Gap Band IV became their second No. 1 album, led by a pair of No. 1 singles, “Early in the Morning” and “Outstanding,” as well as “You Dropped a Bomb on Me,” which peaked at No. 2. Notably, Dave Grohl has stated that his drum intro on Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was inspired by “Early in the Morning.
“The Gap Band continued to release albums throughout the 1980s, with moderate success on R&B charts. However, after Charlie Wilson decided to pursue a solo career, the band’s activities significantly decreased. Various acts, including Tyler the Creator (“911 / Mr. Lonely”), Nas (“Life’s a Bitch”), and Snoop Dogg (“Snoop’s Upside Ya Head,” “Doggfather”), have sampled The Gap Band’s musical over the years.
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