Award-winning American gospel singer and pastor Walter Hawkins passed away July 11 from pancreatic cancer in his home in Ripon, Calif., according to MTV news. He was 61. "Today, I lost my brother, my pastor, and my best friend," Walter's brother, Edwin stated to the Associated Press. "Bishop Hawkins suffered bravely but now he will suffer no more, and he will be greatly missed."
The tenor started singing in 1967 with the Edwin Hawkins Singers; the group recorded one of the most recognizable gospel tunes, 'Oh Happy Day,' which earned the group a Grammy, becoming one of RIAA's Songs of the Century.
Hawkin's solo career, however, didn't start until the early '70s, when he recorded his debut album 'Do Your Best.' But it was the success of his church's ensemble, the Love Center Choir, that garnered frequent gospel charting hits off their 'Love Alive' album series -- spanning from 1975 to 1998.
As a songwriter, composer and producer, Hawkins collaborated with Van Morrison and Diahann Carroll and was responsible for more than 100 gospel-charting singles. Hawkins not only won a Grammy, he earned three Dove Awards and was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame in 2007. Apparently he was working on a new album, part of the 'Love Alive' series, which was expected to release this fall.
Hawkins is survived his his siblings, Carol, Feddie, Edwin, Daniel and Lynette, his two children, Trystan Hawkins and Walter "Jamie" Hawkins Jr., and two grandchildren Jamie-Daniel and Jahve.