Longtime session singer Jim Gilstrap, best known for his performance on the Good Times theme song, has died at 79. Gilstrap died of natural causes on Saturday, according to his family. Remembering his uncle, nephew Geoff Gilstrap told the Hollywood Reporter: “Jim was one of the most respected session vocalists of his generation, bringing his powerful and soulful voice to countless recordings that helped define the sound of popular music.” Alongside Blinky Williams, Gilstrap recorded the memorable, gospel-inspired theme for the African-American family sitcom Good Times, which aired from 1974 to 1979. He also sang the opening lines of Stevie Wonder’s Grammy-winning 1972 hit “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” and was a featured vocalist with Wonder’s backing group Wonderlove. Beyond his session work, Gilstrap enjoyed his own chart success with the 1975 single “Swing Your Daddy,” which reached the top five in the U.K. and the top 10 on Billboard’s Black Singles chart. Born in Texas in 1946, Gilstrap began his music career after serving in the Vietnam War. He is survived by his wife, Gloria, and his children.
Read it at The Hollywood Reporter
