Walter Hawkins (May 18, 1949 to July 11, 2010) was an American gospel music singer. Born in Oakland, California, he was one of gospel music's most legendary figures. Bishop Walter Hawkins was one of the most beloved pastors and figures in contemporary Gospel Music today. In the Forty plus years of his career, he has created one of the most prolific and outstanding catalogs of hit gospel recordings and published songs. It was recently announced on the Facebook profile page of Pastor Shirley Caeser, another Gospel legend, that Bishop Walter Hawkins passed away on Sunday, July 11, 2010.

Walter was the brother of gospel singer Edwin Hawkins and Lynette Hawkins-Stephens. While married to Tramaine Hawkins, the couple had two children a son, Walter "Jamie" Hawkins, Jr. and a daughter, Trystan Hawkins with one granddaughter, Jahve Hawkins and one grandson, Jamie Daniel Hawkins. Walter "Jamie" Hawkins, Jr. is married to Myiia "Sunny" Davis-Hawkins. Hawkins started his career in one of his brother’s chorale, “The Northern California State Youth Choir" of the Church of God in Christ. Later on he accompanied his brother and made significant contributions to his career with the founding of The Edwin Hawkins Singers. This collaborative effort produced the hit song, "Oh Happy Day" which became one of the first gospel songs to crossover onto mainstream music charts.

Walter left the group in the early '70s to establish the Love Center Church in Oakland, CA. He and his Love Center Choir had considerable success with his Love Alive series, which collectively sold over a million copies from the '70s through the '90s. Recordings and published songs that include such great hits as Marvelous, Going Up Yonder, Changed, Be Grateful, Thank You, He's That Kind Of Friend, Until I Found The Lord, Jesus Christ Is the Way, Im Not The Same, Holy One, Spirit Now, Battle, I Love You Lord, Special Gift, Set Me Free, Is There Any Way, Everybody Ought To Know, My Gratitude, It's Right and Good, Cry On, Im So Thankful, Just In The Nick of Time, Jesus Made A Way, Thank You Lord, I Must Go On, Im Going Away, Lord Give Us Time, Try Christ, I Feel Like Singing, Dear Jesus, God Is Standing By, I Love Jesus More, Follow Me, All You Need Is Christ, He Brought Me, He’ll Be There, Goin To A Place, Im A Pilgrim, Never Alone, On & On, and so many more. Hawkins and his groups have recorded with Van Morrison, Diahann Carroll, Sylvester (singer), Jeffrey Osborne, and many others. read more]