| WALTER HAWKINS | 1972 | 1972 | 1975 | 1977 | 1978 | 1980 | 1982 | 1985 | 1988 | 1989 | 1995 | 2000 | 2001 | 2006 |
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| Album Title | Walter Hawkins & Selah | Do Your Best | Love Alive | Jesus Christ Is The Way | Love Alive II | The Hawkins Family Live | I Feel Like Singing | Love Alive III | A Special Gift | Love Alive IV | New Dawning | Take Courage (re-release of New Dawning |
Love Alive V | A Song In My Heart |
| Record Label | Fantasy Records | Gospel Truth Records | Light Records (LS-5686) | Light Records(LS-5705) | Light Records (LS-5735) | Light Records (LS-5770) / Elektra Records (E1-60081) | Light Records / Elektra Records (E1-60038) | Light Records (60038) | Birthright / Capitol Records | Malaco Records | Bellmark Records | Bellmark Records | GospoCentric Records | Coda Records |
| Personnel and Guests / Awards | Produced by labelmate Tom Fogerty, of Creedence Clearwater Revival fame, along with Merl Saunders and Brian Gardner. Backing vocals from Carol Kemp, Feddie Smith, Lynette Hawkins. Musicians included Daniel Hawkins, Eddie Bayers, Anthony Davis, Carl Lockett. | see Walter Hawkins and Selah | Love Alive was recorded and a tape of the master given to Andrae Crouch, who hand-delivered it to Ralph Carmichael, resulting in the signing of Walter Hawkins to Light Records. Crouch wrote the notes on the back of the LP. | Studio project. Personnel included Carole Kemp Hawkins on vocals, Joel Smith and Gaylord Birch on drums and Harlan Rogers on horns, strings and synth arrangements. | Album sold over 300,000 copies. | Recorded at Oakland Auditorium Theater. Album personnel included Maurice White and Phillip Bailey from Earth, Wind & Fire; and a brass section that included the Tower of Power horns. | Studio album with Daryl Coley as guest. Musicians included Howard McCrary and Joel Smith. | Album hit Number 1 on Billboard's Gospel Chart, and went on to sell over 1 million copies. Won two Dove Awards, nominated for a Grammy. | Musicians include Kevin Bond and Jonathan Dubose. In addition to family members, Brenda Roy and Yvette Flunder appear. Album hit Number 17 on Billboard's Gospel Chart. | Guest artists: Frank Williams, Rev. James Moore. VHS video also released. Album hit Number 1 on Billboard's Gospel Chart. Nominated for a Grammy. | Album hit Number 3 on Billboard's Gospel Chart. | See New Dawning album. | 25th anniversary album, double-disk set. DVD also released. Guests included Tramaine Hawkins, Edna Tatum. Album hit Number 5 on Billboard's Gospel Chart. | Solo album, and the first project released on Walter's own label, Coda Records. Album lead to two Stellar Awards. |
| Hit Songs and Album Trivia | The album was released to mainstream under the Fantasy label, and to Gospel under the Gospel Truth label; they are the same recording. "Do Your Best" is first recorded on the album, as well as "Sinner Man". Both songs appeared again on the I Feel Like Singing project. Walter gives a soul-stirring performance of "Will You Be There", which was later included as duet with Tramaine on her debut solo album. |
Gospel release of Walter Hawkins and Selah album. | Key album of the decade. Hits included "Changed", "Goin' Up Yonder" (both led by Tramaine, who was pregnant at the time), "God Is Standing By" (written by Jessy Dixon but made famous by Lynette singing it on this LP). Lynette takes the solo trophy on this one leading three songs: "I'm Not The Same", "Dear Jesus I Love You" and "God Is Standing By". "I Love The Lord" found on this LP (led by Walter and Francis Pye) was originally recorded by Edwin Hawkins' group , The Hebrew Boys | Hits: Every song on the LP. The title cut was led by Tramaine as well as "You're Everything to Me" and "He Brought Me". Walter, Lynette and Edwin do a nice trio on "God Has Signed My Name". Edwin does a Thomas Whitfield-esque type song on "Strange". Walter gives a nice take on the funky "I Love Jesus More Today" and gives us Walter essence on "Lord, Give Us Time". | Hits: Tramaine Hawkins' "He's That Kind of Friend", Walter and Edwin's duet "I'm Going Away", Lynette's "Be Grateful", |
The biggest hit was "What Is This". "Goin' To A Place" was used in an episode of LaVerne and Shirley. "Try Christ" was poignantly and convincingly sung by Shirley Miller (recently recorded by Hezekiah WalkerVickie Winans) | Daryl Coley and Lynette covered Walter's "Do Your Best". Also reappearing from the first solo album is "Sinner Man", this time featuring Chicago's own LaWanda Scroggins on lead. Tramine sings "Coming Home". | The album introduced Yvette Flunder and Brenda Roy, with Yvette MCing the recording. Hits were " When the Battle is Over" (featuring LaWanda Scroggins), the smash "I Love You" featuring Yvette, "He'll Bring You Out" and the defining song in Lynette's career, "There's A War Going On". The album ends with Brenda Roy singing everyone's anthem "Is There Any Way" (covered by Tramaine and Donnie McClurkin on the first The McClurkin Project). | Yvette Flunder wore us out on the title cut, "Special Gift" (which would be covered by Donnie McClurkin and Lynette Hawkins on his ...Again album). Walter does a nice job on the syncopated "Had It Not Been For Him". This is the first hearing of "He Does All Things Well" (appearing again on the New Dawning project) and "Love Is The Only Way" (covered on a future solo album from Edwin Hawkins). | The big hit was "Thank You", featuring Yvette, Rev. James Moore and Frank Williams, later covered by everyone (Kelli Williams and Mary Mary notably). Another hit was "Full And Complete", a duet with Shirley Miller and Yvette Flunder. Also: "On Christ The Solid Rock", "The Just Shall Live" | An urban contemporary album the world wasn't ready for; some of Walter's best material was here; Brenda Roy and Edwin duet on "So We Learn", Walter sings on "My Praise" and covers an up tempo version of "I Love You Lord" (first appearing on Love Alive 3), Lynette sings on "Daylight's Breaking", "He Does All Things Well" returns (first appearing on Special Gift) Walter sings "Take Courage", Feddie and Lynette introduce Kevin Bond's "In the Midst of It All" (covered by Yolanda Adams years later). | Re-issue of New Dawning (new artwork). | Hits included "Marvelous", "It's Right and Good" (featuring Tramaine), "My Gratitude", "In the Nick of Time" (featuring Chicago native San Franklin), "Jesus Made A Way" (featuring Shirley Miller), "Cry On" featuring Antoine Timmons and Yvette Flunder. "More" appears here after having been recorded with the GMWA Mass Choir on their Live in Washington, DC project from 1991. | Hits were "For Who You Are", "Everloving Father", "Just A Prayer Away" and a praise duet with son Jamie Hawkins, "Highest Praise". Also included a tribute to The Staples Singers, "Help Me Jesus". |