Orlandus Wilson
Orlandus Wilson (born August 27, 1917 in Chesapeake , Virginia , † December 31, 1998 in Paris ) was an American gospel singer and arranger. He sang the bass part in the Golden Gate Quartet .
Coming from a rural family, he joined the Golden Gate Jubilee Singers , founded a year earlier in Norfolk, Virginia , in 1934 , where he replaced Robert Ford . Wilson was a member of the group, renamed the Golden Gate Quartet in 1941, from 1935 until his death in 1998. Because of this extremely long membership in the band, he shaped the Golden Gate Quartet like no other member.
With Wilson, rhythm and harmony came into harmony in a seldom achieved. One reviewer called this spirit-filled music for body and soul. Another attested a sense of timing and syncopation as the basis for "jump, glide, bounce and swing ".
In addition to the bassist, Wilson also worked as a leader and from the 1970s together with his wife Gun Wilson as the manager of the group and was responsible for the four-part vocal arrangements that were to become the model for many other quartets and quintets of both Black and White Gospel . The arrangement of "Swing Down, Sweet Chariot", a modification of "Swing Low", was also adapted for choirs and is still popular today as a swinging gospel number that carries the good news as a happy one.
In 1971, in the wake of frequent fluctuations, Wilson's great-nephew Paul Brembly joined the Golden Gate Quartet. Brembly replaced the unforgettable masterful narritive voice of Caleb Ginyard. This belonged to the strongest and most successful formation of this ensemble between 1955 and 1971.
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| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Wilson, Orlandus |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American gospel singer and arranger |
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 27, 1917 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Chesapeake , Virginia |
| DATE OF DEATH | December 31, 1998 |
| Place of death | Paris |