James Lambert
Gospel artist Edwin Hawkins & his music will be missed
FacebookTwitter
By James Lambert
March 3, 2018

Gospel artist Edwin Hawkins died on January 15th of this year of pancreatic cancer. The 74 year old won four Grammys, produced dozens of albums, was voted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame, and was one of the founders of today's gospel music.

The Grammy award winning singer was born in Oakland, California in 1943. At the age of seven he started performing as a pianist with his siblings in various churches. His mother was a devout Christian, and his father liked to play the Hawaiian steel guitar.

Along with Betty Watson, Edwin co-founded the Northern California State Youth Choir of the Church of God. By the late '60s, Hawkins along with his choir members recorded the album: 'Let us go into the House of the Lord.' Incredibly a disc jockey in the bay area by the name of Abe Kesh picked up on the song 'Oh Happy Day' and started playing it regularly on KSAN. The popularity of the song spread around the nation when it was released as a single. By 1969 the song reached no. 4 on the U.S. (music) charts and no. 2 in the United Kingdom.

During the following year, Hawkins joined with lead vocalist 'Melanie' and released the single 'Lay down (Candles in the rain)' which again which showed its popularity by reaching No. 6 in the US charts. As a composer, arranger, and pianist Hawkins produced a series of popular gospel albums from the early 1970s to the 1990s.

Hawkins was to also positively influence the lives of those who came within his sphere. Lawrence Hill, for example, was a young man who had left the Hawkins family Northern California State Youth Choir to attend college in Oregon. Struggling to find his way in life, one evening a familiar song came on in his dorm. Initially Lawrence thought it was his college buddies playing Edwin Hawkins's first album. Much to Lawrence's surprise it was a local rock radio station playing 'Oh Happy Day' which had, by then, become a hit. The young college student decided to move back home to Oakland and rejoin the Hawkins choir after hearing of his mother's untimely death. This move to join again Edwin's music group positively altered the course of the young man's life.

This was just one of many lives that the gospel artist, Edwin Hawkins, ended up affecting for good. Lawrence went on to become a staff music writer for Shelter / Capital records, singing with a number of gospel groups as well as teaming up with Thomas Campbell, music director for the TV show Touched by and Angel. He also recently started a new gospel record label (www.inheritancerecords.com).

Over a period of just four years (from the time his first album was released), Edwin Hawkins received three Grammies, and was later to receive a total of four. Ultimately Hawkins style of gospel music helped open the door for gospel music's popularity to soar during the 1970s and '80s. The immense popularity of 'Oh Happy Day' encouraged other young music artists, like Lawrence Hill to embrace the message of the gospel and relate it to their generation.

The loss of Edwin Hawkins on January 15th, 2018 was the loss of a great music legend but it was also heaven's gain as well. Edwin's legacy lives on in his music and the lives of those he impacted for good.

© James Lambert

 

The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)

Click to enlarge

James Lambert

James Lambert has a broad business background. After receiving his undergraduate degree from Linfield College (McMinnville, Oregon), Lambert pursued a career in banking by working in various management capacities for Crocker Bank, San Diego Trust & Savings Bank and First Interstate Bank (between 1973 and 1995). By 1990 Lambert received his Master in Business Administration from National University (San Diego). For 3 years, Lambert also taught Finance at Mira Costa Community College... (more)

Subscribe

Receive future articles by James Lambert: Click here

More by this author

March 19, 2024
It’s time to get a Republican (like Steve Garvey) elected to the U.S. Senate in CA. It’s been 30 years!


January 28, 2024
Summer Camps are usually a very good experience for young boys & girls


January 9, 2024
U.S. federal debt is a serious impending national problem


December 18, 2023
Economic Disaster: Democrats are determined to end sale of new gas-powered autos by 2034


September 24, 2023
Why illegal immigration negatively affects our country


August 14, 2023
Remembering a nice friend from my teen days who sadly passed away recently


August 1, 2023
Gavin Newsom has taken action to fully eliminate oil extraction in California


May 30, 2023
Newsom & Democrats eliminate the freedom of dealers to sell gasoline powered equipment


April 10, 2023
Over 60 years: 7 heartwarming San Diego team appearances at National Championship games with only 1 win


March 10, 2023
Dems ‘Amnesty Plus’ Senate proposal would have disastrous results


More articles

 

Stephen Stone
The most egregious lies Evan McMullin and the media have told about Sen. Mike Lee

Siena Hoefling
Protect the Children: Update with VIDEO

Stephen Stone
Flashback: Dems' fake claim that Trump and Utah congressional hopeful Burgess Owens want 'renewed nuclear testing' blows up when examined

Pete Riehm
Like our Commander-in-Chief, America is clueless, feckless, and powerless

Selwyn Duke
Did anti-white, DEI bias steal a state final spot from a white basketball team?

James Lambert
It’s time to get a Republican (like Steve Garvey) elected to the U.S. Senate in CA. It’s been 30 years!

Linda Goudsmit
Chapter 10: Objective reality is required for a free society

Michael Bresciani
Gay is OK, but trans for kids is on the skids – Have Americans now become judges of evil thoughts?

Linda Kimball
Nihilism…all that exists is matter and energy: The worldview that caused the collapse of Christendom and Protestant Amer

Peter Lemiska
China doesn’t need a Trojan Horse – It has Joe Biden

Rev. Mark H. Creech
Revelation Chapter 22: Getting beyond doubt, Billy Graham’s example

Paul A. Byrne, M.D.
2024 International Gift of Life Walk – NYC

Cliff Kincaid
Biden’s bloody revolution for America

Victor Sharpe
Senator Schumer enters the annals of Shame

Linda Kimball
Prayer against evil, insane Babylon
  More columns

Cartoons


Click for full cartoon
More cartoons

Columnists

Matt C. Abbott
Chris Adamo
Russ J. Alan
Bonnie Alba
Chuck Baldwin
Kevin J. Banet
J. Matt Barber
Fr. Tom Bartolomeo
. . .
[See more]

Sister sites