His passing was confirmed by his wife, Linda Boulware-Wilson, in a Facebook post published Tuesday.
“The love of my life was called home this morning, at 10:01am. Please continue to pray for The Wilson, Boulware, and Collins family, while we mourn his passing,” she wrote.
“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!!!”
Wilson formed The Gap Band in the late 1960s along with his brothers Charlie and Robert, according to the band’s website.
The group was originally named The Greenwood Archer Pine Street Band, after three streets in a Black area of their hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, which was targeted by a White mob during the 1921 Tulsa race massacre.
They later abbreviated the name to The G.A.P. Band and finally The Gap Band.
The group rose to fame in the late 1970s and early 1980s, opening for bands such as The Rolling Stones.
Their best-known songs include “You Dropped a Bomb on Me,” “Party Train” and “Burn Rubber on Me.”
Another famous song, “Outstanding,” has been sampled by more than 150 artists, according to the band’s website.
