The eldest of the Wilson brothers, Lou was born in Panama and immigrated to the United States with his parents, where he grew up in the Bedford–Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn. Lou is one of the founding members of Mandrill and played trumpet, congas, keyboards, harmonica, percussion, and was also a vocalist. He attended Boys High School in Brooklyn, and was a member of the school orchestra as well as the New York All City Orchestra. Lou was chosen for the Boys High School Basketball team, and participated as a High Jumper on the Boys High varsity squad. He attended Long Island University in Brooklyn. When not touring with Mandrill, he loved to jam with other musicians in the New York Greenwich Village clubs.

In January of 2013 Lou died suddenly from a cardiac arrest. He is survived by his two sons Victor and Rais, who is an entertainer/rapper, and his two daughters Kira and Adiya.

‘The loss of our brother Lou was one of the most difficult periods of our lives. It took all of our strengths collectively to be able to stand strong in the face of such a devastating event. Only by leaning on the teachings and the wisdom of our elders and significant mentors, were we able to journey through this process with relative clarity; recognizing that Lou’s spirit is still with us, providing divine guidance for all of us to follow.

Lou participated in the recording of every song on our latest album, Back In Town. The song “Black Wings” was Lou’s last recorded song with his brothers. He lives on through us and through the music, and we are blessed today with his legacy, recognizing that our leader still reigns supreme.’

— The Wilson Brothers