Robert Wilson Of The Gap Band Dead At 53

Robert Wilson, the bassist for the funk and R&B group the Gap Band, has died. He was 53.

His death was confirmed by Karen Lee, publicist for his brother and Gap Band singer Charlie Wilson.

Robert Wilson had been touring over the past few weeks, including a stop in his hometown in Tulsa, Okla. The Tulsa World reported that he died in Los Angeles on Sunday.

Wilson provided the bass backbone for the trio, which also included another brother, Ronnie. They rocketed to stardom in the 1980s with hits like “Outstanding,” “You Dropped a Bomb On Me” and “Yearning for Your Love.”