Gospel Music Legend And C.O.G.I.C. Musical Genius,Bishop Walter Hawkins,Dies Today At 61…Peace Be With This Great Man

Today, the world, and the world of gospel music has lost a legend,Bishop Walter Hawkins, 61, who passed away from pancreatic cancer.

It was  announced on the Facebook profile page of Pastor Shirley Caesar, another Gospel legend.(WIKI)

Walter Hawkins was a Grammy Award-winning gospel singer, composer and pastor from Oakland,California,home to several black musical star , trend setters and legendary figures.

Hawkins, passed away at his home in Ripon, Calif., his older brother Edwin Hawkins said.

Walter Hawkins "Love Alive" album cover from the 1970's....

“Today, I lost my brother, my pastor, and my best friend,” said Edwin Hawkins. “Bishop Hawkins suffered bravely but now he will suffer no more and he will be greatly missed.”

Born in Oakland, Hawkins studied for his divinity degree at the University of California, Berkeley. While there, he recorded his first album “Do Your Best” in 1972.(SOURCE)

Early in his career he accompanied his brother, Edwin Hawkins, as a member of The Edwin Hawkins Singers.

While with the group he helped produced the song, “Oh Happy Day” which became one of the first gospel songs crossing mainstream music charts.

Walter left the group in the early ’70s to establish the Love Center Church in Oakland, CA. He and his Love Center Choir had considerable success with his Love Alive series, which collectively sold over a million copies from the ’70s through the ’90s.

Walter Hawkins was married to the legendary singer Tremaine Hawkins, and the couple had two children together.

Besides his brother Walter Hawkins is survived by two children, two grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.

Walter Hawkins is the product of the Church of God in Christ, which is the largest African American denomination in  the United  States of America, and is currently headed by Bishop Charles Blake, son of the late, great Bishop J.A. Blake (VIDEO).

Our church has produced many musical stars, such as Andre Crouch,Mattie Moss Clark, The Clark Sisters, just to name a few, but Walter Hawkins, and his whole family changed the way we all viewed “church-music”.

We actually heard Walter,Lynette, and Edwin Hawkins song “Oh Happy Day” on all the pop stations , and not just regulated to the local gospel stations.

I always admired Walter Hawkins, and I was always inspired by his life, and the fact that he named his church after a great sentiment that he has ultimately left us with, and that is the fact that “Love is Alive”, and will continue to be so,now that Bishop Walter Hawkins voice has been silenced.

May his music live on forever, and may he rest in peace….

Walter,Lynette,Richard Smallwood,Tremaine Hawkins, and Chaka Khan