By Radio News Now Staff

James “Jim” Gilstrap, the extraordinarily gifted vocalist whose voice helped open Stevie Wonder’s “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” and brought the theme song from the television series Good Times to life, died July 18 at the age of 79, according to an announcement released by his family.

Editor’s note: Jim Gilstrap’s death was announced in a statement issued by his family on July 18, 2026. Radio News Now has reviewed established biographical sources for career information. Some individual recording credits listed in the family’s full announcement remain subject to additional verification.

The family said Gilstrap died of natural causes.

For more than five decades, Gilstrap’s voice was woven into American music and popular culture. Millions heard him, but many may never have known the name of the man behind the voice.

That is part of what made Jim Gilstrap’s career so remarkable.

He was not always standing at center stage. Yet when the music began, his unmistakable voice could become the moment listeners remembered.

The Voice That Opened a Stevie Wonder Classic

Before Stevie Wonder’s voice enters “You Are the Sunshine of My Life,” listeners first hear Gilstrap sing the song’s opening two lines. Vocalist Lani Groves follows with the next two before Wonder takes over the lead.

The recording appeared on Wonder’s landmark 1972 album, Talking Book. The song later became a No. 1 hit and earned Wonder the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

Gilstrap was also a featured member of Wonderlove, Stevie Wonder’s backing vocal group, during one of the most celebrated creative periods of Wonder’s career. His credits included work associated with Talking Book and Innervisions.

It was the kind of contribution that demonstrated Gilstrap’s special gift: he could enter a recording for only a few moments and leave a permanent impression.

The Sound of “Good Times”

Gilstrap also became part of television history as a co-lead singer of the theme from the groundbreaking CBS sitcom Good Times.

Alongside vocalist Blinky Williams and a gospel choir, Gilstrap delivered one of television’s most recognizable opening themes. The series aired from 1974 to 1979, but its theme song continued to introduce new generations to Gilstrap’s voice through reruns, home video, and streaming.

For many viewers, the opening cry of “Good Times” was more than a television theme. It was an announcement that a familiar family and community were about to enter their homes.

Gilstrap helped give that announcement its soul.

A Voice Behind Generations of Music

Gilstrap built an extraordinary career as a session singer, contributing to recordings connected with some of the most important performers, producers, and musicians in popular music.

According to the family’s announcement, his extensive collaborations included Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, The Jacksons, Aretha Franklin, Bill Withers, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, Patti LaBelle, Kenny Loggins, Dolly Parton, Teddy Pendergrass, Stanley Clarke, Whitney Houston, George Benson, George Duke, the Brothers Johnson, and many others.

His recorded credits also include work associated with Boz Scaggs, Joe Cocker, Donald Byrd, Johnny Gill, Sarah Vaughan, and Starship.

Session vocalists are often asked to do something exceptionally difficult: understand the emotion, personality, and purpose of another artist’s recording and then add something distinctive without overpowering it.

Gilstrap mastered that art.

He could support the star, strengthen the arrangement, and elevate a song—sometimes without the audience ever seeing his name.

“Swing Your Daddy” Put Gilstrap Out Front

Gilstrap also enjoyed success as a solo recording artist.

His 1975 single “Swing Your Daddy,” written and produced by Kenny Nolan, became an international hit. It reached No. 4 in the United Kingdom and also charted in the United States and other countries.

The record allowed listeners to hear Gilstrap not simply as a supporting vocalist but as the featured performer.

He subsequently released solo albums including Swing Your Daddy and Love Talk, further demonstrating the smoothness, versatility, and emotional command that made him such a valued vocalist. Biographical sources differ on whether Love Talk should be dated 1976 or 1977, so Radio News Now should avoid placing a year beside the album title until the family, or an authoritative discography, confirms it.

The Voice You Knew

Jim Gilstrap represents an important part of music history that does not always receive the recognition it deserves.

Behind many legendary lead performers stood exceptional singers, musicians, arrangers, and producers who helped transform good recordings into timeless ones.

Gilstrap was one of those essential artists.

He did not need to sing an entire song to make his presence unforgettable. Sometimes two opening lines were enough. Sometimes a television theme was enough. Sometimes the harmony behind another artist carried his gift into millions of homes without an introduction.

But the voice was there.

And generations knew it.

A Family and Musical Community in Mourning

The family described Gilstrap as a man admired for his professionalism, humility, generosity, and genuine love of music.

He was the last surviving member of a family of ten siblings. He is survived by his wife, Gloria Gilstrap, his children, grandchildren, extended family, friends, fellow musicians, and fans around the world.

The family’s announcement was issued by his nephew and family spokesperson, Geoffrey “Geoff Gil” Gilstrap.

Funeral or public memorial information was not included in the initial announcement.

A Legacy That Will Keep Playing

Jim Gilstrap may not always have occupied the brightest part of the spotlight, but his voice became part of America’s musical memory.

Every time the opening of “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” plays, he will be heard.

Every time the Good Times theme announces another episode, he will be heard.

Every recording elevated by his harmonies carries another piece of his legacy.

The studio may now be silent, but Jim Gilstrap’s voice is not.

It will keep playing.

“Jim Gilstrap’s story reminds us that some of the most important voices in music are not always the most publicly recognized. Millions of people knew his voice before they knew his name. Radio News Now is committed to preserving the stories of the artists, broadcasters, and creators whose work became part of our lives.”

— Lee Michaels, Founder, Radio News Now