The Gap Band Co-founding Member Ronnie Wilson Dead at 73

Ronnie Wilson, one of the founding members of the R&B/funk group The Gap Band, has died at 73.

Wilson's wife, Linda Boulware-Wilson, confirmed the news in a Facebook post in which she remembered the musician as a "genius."

"The love of my life was called home this morning," she wrote Tuesday. "Ronnie Wilson was a genius with creating, producing, and playing the flugelhorn, trumpet, keyboards, and singing music, from childhood to his early seventies. He will be truly missed!!!"

Linda told TMZ, her husband died peacefully at his Tulsa, Oklahoma, home. He reportedly suffered a stroke last week which sent him into a coma he did not wake up from.

Wilson co-founded The Gap Band with his two brothers Charlie and Robert in Tulsa in 1967, according to Billboard. Several years later they released their full-length debut album, "Magicians Holiday," but their breakthrough came in 1979 with their self-titled album, which featured R&B hits "Shake" and "I'm in Love."

The group went on to dominate the charts over their decades-long career. They released 15 albums and singles including "I Don't Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops Up Side Your Head)," "Early in the Morning," "Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)" and "You Dropped a Bomb on Me."

Their popularity waned in the 1980s but enjoyed a revival in the 1990s again after their funky songs were heavily sampled by other artists like Snoop Dogg; Nas; Ice Cube; Tyler, the Creator; and Mary J. Blige.

The group released their final album in 1999 and retired the following year when Robert Wilson died of a heart attack. Taking to Twitter, Charlie Wilson paid tribute to Ronnie Wilson. 

"Thank you for sharing your prayers & love regarding the loss of my brother Ronnie. I appreciate all your messages & am grateful for the support during this difficult time," he wrote, sharing a message from the Bible. "'He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.' (Psalms 147:3)."

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