Walter Hawkins

Grammy award winner Walter Hawkins was the brother of the famed Edwin Hawkins--Oh Happy Day. Born in Oakland, California, Walter grew up in the Bay Area with seven siblings. He and his brother Edwin were a natural on the keyboards and it wasn't long before their talents became publicly known. Walter was a part of his brother Edwin's choir, The Northern California State Youth Choir; later known as the Edwin Hawkins Singers, which produced the album Let Us Go Into the House of the Lord, featuring the hit, Oh Happy Day. Walter made his personal debut in 1972 with an album entitled, Do Your Best. But it wasn't until 1975 when he put out the LOVE ALIVE album featuring the Love Center Choir, that he began to achieve fame. The album was noted for such hit songs as Goin' Up Yonder and Changed. He would go on to produce more albums and CD's using the title Love Alive II (1978), Love Alive III(1983), Love Alive IV (1990), and Love Alive V (1997). From these recordings came popular tunes like, I