Walter Lee Hawkins (May 18, 1949 – July 11, 2010) was an American gospel singer, songwriter, composer, and pastor. An influential figure in urban contemporary gospel music, his career spanned more than four decades. Hawkins won one Grammy from a sum of eight nominations.
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Biography
Walter Lee Hawkins was born on May 18, 1949 in Oakland, California to Dan Lee Hawkins and Mamie Vivian Hawkins (née Matthews). Hawkins was the brother of gospel musician Edwin Hawkins (1943–2018), with whom he first began recording music as a fundraising effort for the Church of God in Christ.
Hawkins started his career in one of his brother's chorales, the Northern California State Youth Choir of the Church of God in Christ. The choir recorded an album in 1968 as a local fundraiser. When a song from that album, "Oh Happy Day", became a crossover hit, Buddah Records purchased the master and released it as "the Edwin Hawkins Singers". This led to him accompanying his brother Edwin to establish the Edwin Hawkins Singers.
Walter Hawkins left the Edwin Hawkins Singers in the early 1970s to establish the Love Center Church in Oakland, California. He and his Love Center Choir had considerable success with their Love Alive series of recordings, which sold well over a million copies from the 1970s through the 1990s. Love Alive IV, released in 1990, was No. 1 on the Billboard Gospel Album charts, where it stayed for 33 weeks. In all, Walter Hawkins produced and/or collaborated on 116 hit songs which were listed on the Billboard Gospel Music charts.
Hawkins has collaborated with Michael Bolton, Kenny Lattimore, Darlene Love, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Jennifer Holliday.
Personal life
Hawkins was married to Tramaine Hawkins from 1971 until their divorce in 1994. They had two children.
Death
On July 11, 2010, Walter Hawkins died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 61 in his house in Ripon, California.
Discography
Albums
1972: Selah (Fantasy)
1972: Do Your Best (solo album)
1975: Love Alive – Love Center Choir (Light)
1977: Jesus Christ Is the Way – The Hawkins Family (Light)
1978: Love Alive II – with the Love Center Choir (Light)
1980: The Hawkins Family (Light)
1982: Gospel (Savoy)
1982: I Feel Like Singing (Light)
1984: Love Alive III (Light)
1988: Special Gift with the Family (Birthright)
1989: Love Alive Reunion (Light)
1990: Love Alive IV – (Malaco)
1996: New Dawning – with the Hawkins Family (Bellmark)
1998: Love Alive, Vol. 5: 25th Anniversary Reunion – Love Center Choir (Interscope)
2000: Take Courage – Hawkins Family (Bellmark)
2005: A Song in My Heart (solo) (Coda/Red-Sony)
Compilation albums
1990: Only The Best (Light)
1995: Light Years (Light)
1995: The Hawkins Family Collection (Platinum)
2002: The Best of Love Alive (Light)
2002: Legends of Gospel (Light)
2002: Mega 3 Collection: Love Alive (Light)
2005: The Very Best of Walter Hawkins and the Hawkins Family (Artemis Gospel)
Appearances on other albums
1973: Fire Up – Merl Saunders
1975: This Moment – Danniebelle
1976: David Soul – David Soul
1980: The Lord's Prayer – Various artists; duet with Tramaine Hawkins on "Thy Kingdom Come" (Light)
1982: Imagine Heaven – The Edwin Hawkins Singers
1982: This Is Love – Patrick Henderson (keyboards)
1983: I'm On Your Side – Angela Bofill
1986: The Search Is Over – Tramaine Hawkins
1986: I Must Go On – Shirley Miller (producer, writer, vocals)
1986: Hand in Hand – The Williams Brothers (producer, keyboards)
1986: Just Daryl – Daryl Coley (background vocals, keyboards)
1986: Frantic Romantic – Jermaine Stewart (background vocals)
1987: The Hunger – Michael Bolton (background vocals)
1987: Touch the World – Earth, Wind & Fire
1987: Baby Sis – Lynette Hawkins Stephens (producer, writer, vocals)
1990: Face to Face – Edwin Hawkins
1990: Live – Tramaine Hawkins (producer, choir director, keyboards)
Video
1982: Gospel
1983: Oh Happy Day
1991: Love Alive, Vol. 4 (Malaco)
1998: Walter Hawkins & The Hawkins Family (Monterey Video)
1998: Love Alive, Vol. 5: 25th Anniversary Reunion, Vol. 1 (Interscope)
1999: Love Alive, Vol. 5: 25th Anniversary Reunion, Vol. 2 (Interscope)
2006: Song in My Heart (Coda)
Awards
Grammy Awards
Hawkins won one Grammy out of eight nominations.
Dove and Stellar awards
Hawkins won three Gospel Music Association Dove Awards:
1980: Soul Gospel Album of the Year for Love Alive II; Walter Hawkins and the Love Center Choir
1982: Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year for The Hawkins Family Live
1991: Traditional Song of the Year for "The Potter's House" (co-songwriter)
He won two Stellar Awards:
2006: Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year
2006: Traditional CD of the Year for A Song in My Heart