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Rest In Peace: Walter Hawkins
Published by Torrence Glenn on Sunday, July 11, 2010 at 8:40 pm.
Gospel great (an overused term but most appropriate here) Bishop Walter L. Hawkins died today after battling with cancer for some time.We send our prayers and support to Edwin Hawkins, Lynette Hawkins-Stephens, his former wife Tremaine Hawkins, his son Jamie Hawkins(Walter Hawkins Jr.), his daughter Trystan, The Love Center Church and all of his family and friends.
Many of us learned of Walter’s sickness earlier this year when he was unable to attend the Stellar Awards In January. Last month, we thought that he would attend he and his brother’s annual “Music & Arts Love Fellowship Conference” in Chicago this past June but ultimately he was unable to. Walter was one of the most influential voices and songwriters in gospel music. His true tenor voice was one to strive for and remained consistent throughout his entire career. As a songwriter, he wrote classic and memorable songs that you’ve undoubtedly sung at some point in your gospel life. For me personally, Walter Hawkins had songs that were literally the soundtrack to major milestones in my spiritual development. (“Thank You Lord” still puts a knot in my throat and I have to sing along and it’s not unusual for me to cry when I hear it. ) An artist for over 40 years, many of his song were probably recorded before you were born. But the minute you hear the opening chords, you know them today in 2010. If you think I’m lying. Let’s just go down a SHORT list:
1. Thank You (probably one of the most popular gospel songs ever after “Oh Happy Day”)
2. Be Grateful
3. Going Up Yonder
4. Changed
5. When The Battle Is Over
6. God Is Standing By
7. It’s Right And Good
8. Try Christ
9. Never Alone
10. It’s Right & Good
11. Marvelous
And I could keep going. I can’t even get into the hits and memorable songs he sang with his brother Edwin and The Hawkins Family or with other artists such as Donald Lawrence’s “Seasons.” It’s hard for me to type this piece because it’s still very fresh and difficult. So as I always do when a great artist that I’m a fan of passes on, I’ll just linger in the music for a little while. Take a listen below to some selected tracks either sung or written by Walter Hawkins and reflect with me. Walter, we miss you and thanks for leaving us music that thankfully will never die.
Torrence
God will wipe your tears away and give you strength to get through each day.
My love and prayers are with you during this time of sorrow may you find peace as I have during my time s of sorrow. Lean on the Lord today and always.
Walter Hawkins will be missed but not forgotten and will rise again when Christ returns and be caught up in the clouds.
My deepest sympathy to the Hawkins Family. I was shocked to learn that Walter, my most favorite gospel artist , passed away. I played and played his music all day. He will be greatly missed. His concerts were the best I ever attended.
My deepest sympathy to the Hawkins family. He will be greatly missed by so many. Absent from the body is to be present with the Lord! RIP Walter Hawkins!
TO THE Hawkins Family,
“Ye now therefore have sorrow:but I will see you again,and your heart shall rejoice,and your joy no man taketh from you”John 16:22 We too feel your pain and know your family is in our prayers it just another great singer that make up God choir and gone up yonder to be with the Lord.Be blessed my sisters and brothers and family.
I love Bishop Walter Hawkins, not only for his God-given musical talents, but also for his preached Word. I thank God for the revivals he preached at Restored Life Ministries, Springfield, Ohio. I’m grateful for his encouragement and even now, as I go through a very trying time in my life, his songs continue to minister to me and keep me focused on my God! My prayers go out to the Hawkins Family and to the Love Center Family. Thank you Bishop!! I truly will miss you!
To the HawkinsFamily;
Bishop, Thank you for all the great music. We all will miss you. When the roll is called up yonder we will be there.
The Word of God says that when we are absent from this body (flesh); we immediately go into the presence of the Lord (Spirit). When you are in relationship with Jesus Christ, death is “only” the “transition” from this life on earth (which is temporary) into the very “presence” of Jesus which is “eternal.” Ecclesiastes 8:8 and Ecclesiastes 12:6-7. When we “all” get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be. When we “all” see Jesus, we will sing and shout the victory. Praise the Lord!!! –All – represents those who have accepted the finished work Jesus Christ did on the Cross, His Death, Burial, Resurrection and Ascension to Heaven Ephesians 2:4-6. Bishop Walter Hawkins is rejoicing with Jesus in Heaven. Be encouraged!!!
i going to miss him for sing on this earth i will keep the hawkins family in prayed.
You will be Missed out here in Oakland,Caliornia. I loved everything that you have taught me and you will be at peace now.. No more pain!!! I know where you are now. love and miss you.. I will rejoice and not cry, because i know that you are GOING UP YONDER!!!! GOD WILL KEEP YOU
I’m what your generation calls an “old head” (60 yo) and I have to agree with you that the ministries of Walter, Edwin, Tramaine, Lynette Hawkins (don’t forget Shirley Miller and Daryl Coley) form the background music of my initial sometimes shaking steps as a babe in Christ. However, when I reminesce as something like causing us to do, I am above all things “Grateful” for God’s saving grace in my life and the power of the word unto salvation. I want to encourage composers and artists of this present era to remember that it’s the truth of the words in the message that make it the “gospel”, it’ is not a musical style. Bishop Hawkins knew that even with all of his innovations, it’s about the message and the message is still JESUS SAVES!
The Hawkins family will always be very dear to my heart. When ever they would release a recording for purchase I would buy it because I knew it would be good.Whenever they would go on tour and come to my city, I would be there to hear them in person. they still remain my favorite gospel family.It is just recently within the last three months that I begin listening to their earlier work and really with tears in my eyes thanking God for this music that he blessed Walter , Edwin to create and I am quite sure was written with blood, sweat,and tears.sometimes.My favorite all time song would have to be Be Grateful!!! I am very sad to know that our brother Walter is no longer with us, we shall all who die in Christ see him again in glory . And even though I cry now ,still I can’t help but think about how much better off he now is than us who yet remain here on earth in this mean world . I will continue to keep the entire family in my prayers and also be thankful to God for all the beautiful music that he has left behind to continue to enjoy!
Bishop Hawkins has been my favorite gospel artist since the 70’s when the first Love Alive album came out. His music has been a part of me since I was a child. His death has hurt me to my heart as if he was a part of my own family.
He was a great singer. I really enjoyed his songs.
I pray that the Lord give each of you strength during this trying time.
God Bless
I was a kid and my next door neighbor was home from college in Wash. DC and played “Oh Happy Day” for her sister and myself. I had never heard anything like that, it was beautiful and uplifting. That was the beginning of my journey into gospel music. A journey I will treasure until I close my eyes and join my savior. Prayers and thanks to the Hawkins family.
My Heavenly Father Lord Jesus, I pray for the Hawkins Family who has lost one of their very own,and please God be very close to them during this time of grief and mouring.
God is good all the time and thank you Lord. Amen
I Thank God, for Bishop Walter Hawkins and the Hawkins Family! I grew up listening to their music,and it still lives in my heart today! He sang, “I’m Going Away”, and he has finally gone. He is gone to be with Jesus! He will be missed dearly.
I feel so sad when I observe the love that was so evident between Bishop Hawkins, his siblings, and I’m sure his entire family. When I see them singing together and the exchange of smiles and loving glances as they praised Our Lord with their talented voices, I can only pray for their comfort and peace. God promises that one day we all will be together, What A Time, What A Time, What A Time!!!!! To the family “Hold On Old Soldiers”
I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY DEEPEST SYMPATHY AND CONDOLENCES TO THE HAWKINS FAMILY ON THE LOSS OF THE GREAT BISHOP WALTER HAWKINS. EVERY GOSPEL GROUP IN THE WORLD KNOWS, HAS SANG, AND OR HAS BEEN BLESSED BY “OH HAPPY DAY”. I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING MINISTERED TO BY BISHOP HAWKINS AND EDWIN HAWKINS AT THE 2009 SESSION OF THE NATIONAL CONVENTION OF GOSPEL CHOIRS AND CHORUSES INC. IN LAS VEGAS NV. THEY SANG SEVERAL OF THEIR NUMEROUS HITS AND EVERYONE WAS TRULY BLESSED, BISHOP HAWKINS IS A GOSPEL ICON AND WILL BE IMMEASURABLY MISSED.
This was truly a Blessed man. I had the enormous honor of meeting him in the ’80s as a teen. You will be missed Bishop. May God keep and hold the family.
God sent u here to open our hearts and mind. When i feel low i put u on and some how i feel better.I will miss u very much. U will always be in my heart and my mind. RIP Bishop u did ur job here.