Orlandus Wilson

Orlandus Wilson ( born August 27, 1917 in Chesapeake, Virginia; † 31 December 1998 ) was an American gospel singer and arranger. He sang the bass part in the Golden Gate Quartet.

From a rural family, he entered the 1934 in Norfolk a year earlier (Virginia), founded in Golden Gate Jubilee Singers, where he replaced Robert Ford. Wilson was in 1941 renamed Golden Gate Quartet group in 1935 until his death in 1998. Already because of this extremely long band membership, he has the Golden Gate Quartet shaped like no other member.

Rhythm and harmony came to Wilson in a rarely reached manner consistent. One critic called it a spirit - filled music for body and soul. Another attested a sense of timing and syncopation as the basis for "jump, glide, bounce and swing ."

Except as bassist had Wilson as a leader and in the 70s with his wife Gun Wilson as manager of the group and was responsible for the four-part vocal arrangements, which should be a model for many other quartets and quintets of both the Black as the White Gospel. The arrangement of " Swing Down, Sweet Chariot ," a variation of " Swing Low ," was also adapted for choirs and is still popular as a swinging gospel number that brings the Good News across as a cheerful background.

In 1971 in the wake of the frequent fluctuations Wilson's great-nephew Paul Brembly the Golden Gate Quartet at. Brembly replaced the memorable masterful Narritive voice of Caleb Ginyard. This was a member of the strongest and most successful formation of this ensemble 1955-1971.