Living legend Dr. Edwin Hawkins (right) was the guest of honor in Chicago this afternoon at a special pre-celebration of the 40th anniversary of his breakout gospel recording, “Oh Happy Day.”
President Dennis Cole and the Chicago Area Gospel Announcers Guild, along with the Edwin Hawkins & Walter Hawkins Music and Arts Love Fellowship Conference, presented today’s event, which was held at the historic Fellowship M.B. Church.
Several Chicago-based artists, including Rev. Walter Butts and the Brown Sisters (below), offered their own renditions of the now iconic song, which upon its release in 1969 by the Northern California State Youth Choir heralded the urban contemporary gospel sound and catapulted Hawkins and his family into mega-stardom.
The 29th Annual Edwin Hawkins & Walter Hawkins Music & Arts Love Fellowship Conference will be held in Chicago June 20 – 26, 2010 at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare. The Pre-Conference Musical will take place at Greater Harvest Baptist Church and the Mass Choir live recording at Christ Universal Temple.
For more information, visit www.musicandartslovefellowshipconference.org.
Photo credit: Bob Marovich
Written by : Bob Marovich
Bob Marovich is a gospel music historian, author, and radio host. Founder of Journal of Gospel Music blog (formally The Black Gospel Blog) and producer of the Gospel Memories Radio Show.
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