Johnnie Wilder Jr.

Johnnie James Wilder Jr. (July 3, 1949 – May 13, 2006)

On February 24, 1979, a van broadsided Wilder's car, paralyzing him from the neck down and hospitalizing him for a year.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Wilder went on to record other albums with the group, as well as an album with his brother titled Sound of Soul in 1989. Later he began a solo gospel career, singing a cappella on the albums My Goal and One More Day. The latter album featured a re-recording of the song "All I Am" written by Lynsey de Paul and Susan Sheridan, that was originally recorded for the Heatwave album, Candles. Referring to My Goal and One More Day, he stated "The music that I'm doing is my way of giving thanks to God for being alive".

He died in his sleep on May 13, 2006, at his home in Dayton, Ohio, aged 56, from complications of his paralysis and was laid to rest in Dayton National Cemetery.