Song:I'm Going Away
Album:Gospel Legacy
Walter Hawkins is one of the all time greats of gospel music. I'm Going Away is one of several Hawkins songs that is now considered a gospel standard. He was born May 18, 1949 in Oakland, CA the brother of Edwin Hawkins. The Hawkins family which included sister Lynette Hawkins, Walter's wife Tramaine Hawkins and their son Jamie Hawkins performed together. Walter was part of The Edwin Hawkins Singers who scored a big hit with Oh Happy Day in 1968. He left that group in 1972 and after a couple of solo albums, Walter started the Love Alive Choir at the Love Center Church in Oakland. He signed with Light Records in 1977 and he recorded for them his entire career. Those early Love Alive albums is what established Hawkins as a tremendous songwriter. Those albums were also released on A&M Records. I'm Going Away is from the 1978 album Love Alive II. Along with Going Up Yonder, it has become one of Hawkins' most enduring songs. This budget comp is a good intro to his music. Hawkins produced albums by his wife Tramaine Hawkins along with Vanessa Bell Armstrong, The Williams Brothers and Jennifer Holiday. Hawkins continued to record until his death on July 11, 2010 at age 61. Here's Walter Hawkins with the Love Alive Choir performing I'm Going Away. It seems to be from an early 80s TV special featuring Shirley Caesar, Joe Ligon of Mighty Clouds of Joy and The Clark Sisters.
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