Edwin Hawkins, a four-time Grammy Award-winning gospel singer best known for the 1969 hit “Oh Happy Day,” died at his home in Pleasanton last week after battling pancreatic cancer. He was 74.
The musician’s Jan. 15 death was announced in a statement through his official social media accounts.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Edwin Hawkins — a celebrated artist, innovator and music icon,” the Hawkins family said. “Though he will be greatly missed the world over, the message of love, life and encouragement that he incorporated into his music gives us all the same hope that we’ll join him in heaven and sing ‘Oh Happy Day.'”
One of eight children, Hawkins was born in Oakland and raised in the Campbell Village projects. He discovered music early in life, playing the keyboard in the Church of God in Christ denomination beginning at age 5.
Hawkins and his friend Betty Watson co-founded the Northern California State Youth Choir in 1967 so they could attend the denomination’s annual convention. To finance the trip, they recorded an album called “Let Us Go Into the House of the Lord.”
The 500 copies they ordered didn’t come in time for the trip, but a Bay Area DJ got his hands on one. The rest is musical history.
“My mother had an old hymnal and I had a knack for rearranging hymns,” Hawkins once said. “‘Oh Happy Day’ was an old hymn and I rearranged it. It was actually one of the least likely songs to become a hit. There were some much stronger songs on there.”
The song helped Hawkins’ career take off. ‘Oh Happy Day’ won a Grammy in 1970 for Best Soul Gospel Performance, and to date it has sold over seven million copies. The song has been covered by dozens of artists over the years, including Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley.
With his group The Hawkins Family and as a solo artist, Hawkins continued making gospel hits including “Give Me a Star,” “Worship the Lord” and “To My Father’s House.” He toured in recent years — largely in Europe — and sponsored the Edwin Hawkins Music & Arts Seminar to teach the business of music to the next generation of artists.
Hawkins’ former publicist, Bill Carpenter, said Monday that Hawkins had resided in Pleasanton at least a decade and owned a soul food cafe in Manteca that closed in 2015. He had been planning a new album before his health worsened toward the end of last year.
Hawkins is survived by his siblings Carol, Feddie, Daniel and Lynette. Celebration of life services will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 6 and 7 at Harbor Light Church, 4760 Thornton Ave. in Fremont.
In lieu of flowers, the Hawkins family asks that donations be made to Music & Arts, Inc.
