"Walter Hawkins" has been added to your list of bookmarked artists
close
Walter Hawkins
Biography
The younger brother of gospel vocalist and choir director Edwin Hawkins, Bishop Walter Hawkins is one of gospel's most successful performers. The leader of the Love Center Choir, Hawkins has led the group to two Dove Awards, presented by the Gospel Music Association, and two Grammy nominations. The group's debut album, Going up Yonder, released in 1975, spent several months on the Top 40 gospel chart compiled by Billboard. Their second album, Love Alive II, sold nearly three hundred thousand copies. This was surpassed by their third album, Love III, which topped the million sales mark. They continued this success with Love Alive IV, released in 1989, which remained in the top position on the gospel charts for 39 weeks.

Hawkins gave very little thought to a career in music until 1968. In an attempt to raise money to send the Ephesian Church of God in Christ's youth choir, directed by Edwin Hawkins, to a convention in Washington, D.C., Hawkins helped the group record an album, Let Us Go into the House of the Lord. Although initial plans called for the album to be sold locally, it became an international success when a single, "Oh, Happy Day," sold more than a million copies.
Selected Discography