In the 1930s, his family relocated to Detroit, where he pursued his passion to write and produce music, co-founding Golden World Records in 1961.
He developed a roster of artists that included Edwin Starr, The Parliaments, The Fantastic Four, J.J. Barnes, Laura Lee, The Reflections, and Gino Washington, eventually growing his family of entertainment ventures to include Golden World Records, Golden World Studios, and the Ric-Tic label.
[4] By the 1960s, many African-Americans who had been shut out of traditional employment within Detroit were drawn to entrepreneurship and became involved in numbers games.
[6] Informants also stated that Wingate started off a "small man" and quickly rose to fame because he was able to take over the Black market, which had been run by Italian players.
Davis even said he wanted to write a book that would illustrate how many black entrepreneurs were mentored, helped, and influenced by Wingate.