Born in Monterey, California, Gonsalves was a baritone saxophonist with the orchestras of Alvino Rey (1950) and Tex Beneke (1952).
In 1954, he formed an ensemble with Bob Enevoldsen, the tenor saxophonist Buddy Wise, Lou Levy, Harry Babasin, and Larry Bunker, and recorded the album Virgil Gonsalves Sextet in 1954 on Nocturne Records 8.
Among the group's later members were Leo Wright, Junior Mance, Ron Crotty (born 1929), and Eddie Khan.
Gonzalves also worked as a freelance musician, mainly in the San Francisco area.
[2][3][4] He was a member of the Pacific Gas & Electric band from 1971 to 1972.