My day has been sadden today, Due to the passing of this Gospel giant. For this is the era of my growing years. The songs of Bishop Walter Hawkins & Family, pull me right on through when I was in my low ebbs. I went through a lot in my young years, but at the end of the day I would take it to the Lord in prayer then top it off with my "Love Alive Album" and just sang until my heart was content.
That was my out let to get back on track. Music has always been my source of comfort. Music gives messages if we only listen to the words of a song and not just the beat or the melody, if you will. In fact this whole family has blessed my life through songs. And I Thank and Praise God for the messages from this messenger. I know heaven is happy right about now. This great man can help out the heavenly angels sing, Hallelujah to the Highest.......Glory! to God...
Walter Hawkins, a Grammy Award-winning gospel singer, composer and pastor from Oakland, died Sunday. He was 61. Hawkins, who was battling pancreatic cancer, passed away at his home in Ripon, California, his older brother Edwin Hawkins said. "Today, I lost my brother, my pastor, and my best friend," said Edwin Hawkins. "Bishop Hawkins
red 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 at the university, he recorded his first album titled "Do Your Best" in 1972.
The next year, Hawkins became a pastor and founded the Love Center Church in Oakland, where he also formed a choir. In the 1980s, Hawkins recorded a number of albums and earned nine Grammy Award nominations, according to friend and family representative, Bill Carpenter.
His "The Lord's Prayer" won a Grammy in 1980 and he also performed on the televised Grammy Awards ceremony that year. In 1990, Hawkins released "Love Alive III" which spent 34 weeks at the top on the Billboard gospel album sales chart, while going on to sell more than a million copies, according to Carpenter. In 1993 his next album, "Love Alive IV," also hit the top spot on the album sales chart. Between work on the two albums, Hawkins was ordained a bishop in October 1992.
At the time of his death, Hawkins was planning a new "Love Alive" CD concert recording for this fall.
Besides his brother Edwin, Hawkins is survived by four other siblings,
two children, two grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.
THIS FAMILY HAS SHARE ALL OF THEIR GOD GIVEN TALENTS WITH US........
~NOW IT'S OUR TURN TO GIVE BACK~
LET'S KEEP THIS FAMILY BEFORE
THE LORD DURING THIS TIME.
AS ALWAYS... READER BE BLESSED!!
HOMEGOING SERVICES
FOR
BISHOP WALTER L. HAWKINS
Musical
Tuesday – July 20, 2010 @ 7:30 P.M.
*****
Homegoing Celebration
Wednesday – July 21, 2010 @ 11 A.M.
Requested Attire Color: “CREAM”
*****
*LOCATION*
BOTH services will be held at:
Paramount Theatre
2025 Broadway
Oakland, CA 94612-2303
(510) 465-6400
*****
Hotel Information:
Hilton Oakland Airport
1 Hegenberger Road
Oakland, CA 94621
(510) 635-5000
$85.00 a night, plus tax
Must Use “Love Center Ministries, Inc”
Please make sure to go to the church’s website www.lovecenter.org for more info on the services and arrangements.
