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Jim Gilstrap

James Gilstrap (born November 10, 1946) is an American singer and session musician. He is best known for his 1975 solo hit single "Swing Your Daddy", as well as singing co-lead to the theme from the TV series Good Times.

Life and career

Gilstrap was born in Daingerfield, Texas to Jodie and Pearlie Mae (Tolbert) Gilstrap. He joined the U.S. Navy Reserve. He began his career in the music industry when he returned from serving in the Vietnam War. Early groups he worked with include the Doodletown Pipers and The Cultures.

In the early 1970s, Gilstrap was one of the backing vocalists in Stevie Wonder's backing outfit, "Wonderlove", appearing on Wonder's albums, Talking Book and Innervisions. Gilstrap sang the opening two lines of the Wonder song, "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" (with Lani Groves singing the next two lines). He subsequently signed a recording contract with Chelsea Records in 1975. His recording of the Kenny Nolan-penned "Swing Your Daddy" was a number 4 hit in the UK Singles Chart in April 1975, and reached number 10 in the US Billboard Black Singles chart. The song peaked at number 64 in Australia.

Gilstrap also recorded two albums of his own during the 1970s. The first, titled Swing Your Daddy, contained three more singles in "I'm on Fire" (covering 5000 Volts; it made number 78 in the U.S.), "House of Strangers" and "Put Out the Fire". The second album, Love Talk (1977), was not as successful.

He worked as a session artist for the UK singer Elkie Brooks on her album Live and Learn (1979), among other performances.

He can be heard in a vocal performance on Quincy Jones' 1974 jazz-funk composition "Soul Saga (Song Of The Buffalo Soldier)", from Jones' Body Heat album. Gilstrap also provided the male lead vocals for the theme music to the 1970s television program Good Times. "I've Got You Where I Want You" (1975) was used in the soundtrack of the film Three Days of the Condor. In addition, he sang the theme song for the 1990s cartoon series TaleSpin. More recently he did an original song for the Japanese film Survive Style 5+ entitled "A Lament".

He worked with the group Side Effect on their track "Run, Run, Run" that was released on Bell Records.

Discography

Solo
  • Swing Your Daddy (1975)
  • House Of Strangers (1975)
  • I'm On Fire (1976)
  • Love Talk (1976)
as Side Effect member
with Tour De 4force 1

(with Joyce Vincent Wilson, Pam Vincent, Theresa Davis, and Scherrie Payne of The Supremes)

  • Quiet Moon (2009)
with Joyce Vincent, Pam Vincent and the Altair All-Star Choir
  • La La Peace Song (2018)

Credits

Gilstrap's other recording credits include:

<big>Aaron Neville</big>

  • Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas (1993) (Choir Member, Background Vocals)
  • The Tattooed Heart (1995) (Background Vocals)
  • Believe (2003)
  • Christmas & Hits Duos (2008)
  • I Know I've Been Changed (2010)

<big>Amaia Montero</big>

<big>Amy Grant</big>

<big>Angela Bofill</big>

<big>Anita Baker</big>

  • The Songstress (1983)
  • Rapture (1986)
  • The Best of Anita Baker (2002)
  • Sweet Love: The Very Best of Anita Baker (2002)

<big>Aretha Franklin</big>

  • Who's Zoomin' Who? (1985)
  • Aretha (1986)
  • Greatest Hits: 1980–1994 (1994)
  • Knew You Were Waiting: The Best of Aretha Franklin 1980–1998 (2012)

<big>Art Garfunkel</big>

<big>Barbra Streisand</big>

<big>Bill Withers</big>

<big>Billy Preston and Syreeta</big>

<big>Boney James</big>

<big>Boz Scaggs</big>

<big>Brainstorm</big>

<big>Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee</big>

<big>Candi Staton</big>

  • Young Hearts Run Free (1976) (Background Vocals)
  • House of Love (1978) (Background Vocals)

<big>Carl Anderson</big>

  • Absence Without Love/On & On (2009)

<big>Carrie Lucas</big>

<big>Céline Dion</big>

<big>Crowded House</big>

<big>Dana Glover</big>

<big>Dave Grusin</big>

<big>Dave Koz</big>

<big>David Foster</big>

  • The Christmas Album (1993) (Choir Member)

<big>Dee Dee Bridgewater</big>

<big>Diana DeGarmo</big>

<big>Dianne Reeves</big>

<big>Dionne Warwick</big>

<big>Disney</big>

  • The Disney Afternoon Songbook: Music from Hit TV Shows (1990)
  • The Music of Disney: A Legacy in Song (1992)
  • Disney's Music from the Park (1996)
  • Disney's Rock-A-Bye Baby: Soft Hits for Little Rockers (1996)
  • Matrix Revolutions [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] (2003)

<big>Donald Byrd</big>

<big>Donald Byrd and 125th St. NYC</big>

<big>Dr. John</big>

<big>Elkie Brooks</big>

<big>Elton John</big>

<big>England Dan & John Ford Coley</big>

<big>Erich Kunzel</big>

  • The Magical Music of Disney (1995)

<big>Eros Ramazzotti</big>

<big>Everlast</big>

<big>Funk</big>

<big>Gene Page</big>

<big>George Benson</big>

<big>George Duke</big>

  • Snapshot (1992)
  • Illusions (1995) (Additional Vocals on "The Simple Things", Background Vocals)
  • Best of George Duke: The Elektra Years (1997)
  • Is Love Enough? (1997)
  • Cool (2000)
  • Face the Music (2002)
  • Duke (2005)
  • Ultimate George Duke (2007)
  • Dukey Treats (2008)
  • Dreamweaver (2013)
  • George Duke Collection (2014)

<big>Gladys Knight</big>

  • Miss Gladys Knight (1978) (Background Vocals as a member of the Jim Gilstrap Singers)
  • Good Woman (1991) (Background Vocals on "Where Would I Be")

<big>Hanne Boel</big>

  • Misty Paradise (2001)

<big>Harold Faltermeyer</big>

  • Copout (2010)

<big>Harry Styles</big>

<big>Harvey Mason</big>

  • Marching in the Street (1976)
  • Groovin' You (1979)
  • Sho Nuff Groovin' You: The Arista Records Anthology 1975–1981 (2017)

<big>Henry Mancini</big>

<big>Herbie Hancock</big>

<big>Hiroshima</big>

  • Hiroshima (1979) (Background Vocals)
  • Odori (1980) (Background Vocals)
  • Third Generation (1983) (Can Do Choir Member, Additional Background Vocals)
  • Another Place (1985)
  • Go (1987) (Background Vocals)
  • Ongaku (1988)
  • East (1989) (Additional Lead & Background Vocals)
  • Providence (1992)
  • L. A. (1994) (Background Vocals)

<big>Irene Cara</big>

<big>Jackson Browne</big>

<big>James Ingram</big>

<big>James Newton Howard</big>

<big>James Taylor</big>

<big>Jean Carn</big>

  • Sweet and Wonderful (1981)

<big>Joe Cocker</big>

<big>Joe Sample</big>

  • Roles (1987)
  • Sample This (1997)
  • The Best of Joe Sample (1998)
  • Introducing Joe Sample (2006)
  • Rhino Hi-Five: Joe Sample

<big>Joey Lawrence</big>

<big>John Hiatt</big>

<big>John Powell</big>

  • Ice Age: The Meltdown [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] (2006)

<big>Johnny Gill</big>

<big>Johnny Gill and Stacy Lattisaw</big>

<big>Johnny Mathis</big>

<big>Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams</big>

<big>José Feliciano</big>

  • Just Wanna Rock 'n' Roll (1975)

<big>June Pointer</big>

  • Baby Sister (1983)

<big>Kanye West</big>

<big>Keith Moon</big>

<big>Kelis</big>

<big>Kenny G</big>

<big>Kenny Loggins</big>

<big>Leo Sayer</big>

<big>Leonard Cohen</big>

<big>Linda Lewis</big>

<big>Linda Ronstadt</big>

<big>Lionel Richie</big>

<big>Livingston Taylor</big>

<big>Luther Vandross</big>

  • Songs (1994)
  • The Ultimate Luther Vandross [2001] (2001)
  • The Essential Luther Vandross (2003)
  • Love, Luther (2007)
  • The Music of Luther Vandross (2009)
  • The Box Set Series (2014)

<big>Lynn Ahrens / Stephen Flaherty / David Newman</big>

<big>Martha Davis</big>

<big>Martha Reeves</big>

  • Martha Reeves (1974)

<big>Masayoshi Takanaka</big>

<big>Melissa Manchester</big>

<big>Michael Bolton</big>

<big>Michael Jackson</big>

<big>Milira</big>

<big>Minnie Riperton</big>

<big>Nancy Wilson</big>

<big>Narada Michael Walden</big>

<big>Neil Diamond</big>

  • (1992)

<big>Neil Young</big>

<big>Norman Connors</big>

<big>Olivia Newton-John</big>

<big>Patrice Rushen</big>

<big>Patrick Doyle</big>

<big>Patti Austin</big>

<big>Patti LaBelle</big>

<big>Paul Williams</big>

<big>Paul Young</big>

<big>Peabo Bryson</big>

<big>Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack</big>

<big>Peggy Lee</big>

  • Let's Love (1974)

<big>Phyllis Hyman</big>

<big>Priscilla Ahn</big>

<big>Quincy Jones</big>

<big>Rachelle Ferrell</big>

<big>Ray Charles</big>

<big>Ricky Martin</big>

<big>Ringo Starr</big>

<big>Roberta Flack</big>

<big>Roy Ayers</big>

<big>Russ Freeman and The Rippingtons</big>

<big>Russell Hitchcock</big>

<big>Santana</big>

<big>Sarah Vaughan</big>

<big>Scherrie and Susaye</big>

<big>Seals & Crofts</big>

<big>Siedah Garrett</big>

<big>Stacy Lattisaw</big>

<big>Stanley Clarke</big>

<big>Stanley Clarke and George Duke</big>

  • 3 (1990)

<big>Stanley Turrentine</big>

<big>Starship</big>

<big>Stevie Wonder</big>

<big>Syreeta</big>

<big>Teddy Pendergrass</big>

<big>The Blackbyrds</big>

  • Unfinished Business (1976)
  • Action (1977)
  • Night Grooves: The Blackbyrds' Greatest Hits (1978)
  • Better Days (1980)

<big>The Brothers Johnson</big>

<big>The Jacksons</big>

  • Triumph (1980)
  • (1992)
  • The Best Remixes (1998)
  • Original Album Classics (2008)

<big>The Party</big>

  • The Party (1990) (Additional Background Vocals on "Storm Me")

<big>The Rippingtons</big>

<big>The Simpsons</big>

  • (2007) (Studio Singer, Character Voice)

<big>Thelma Houston</big>

<big>Tower of Power</big>

<big>Whitney Houston</big>

<big>Willy DeVille</big>

<big>Willy DeVille & The Mink DeVille Band</big>

See also

References

External links