::THE SLICE REPORT WITH MONA AUSTIN

WITH A-LIST CONCERT AT THE PARAMOUNT THEATER Tuesday, July 20, 2010 @ 7:00 PM PST (Free Admission) Musical Celebration Features Yolanda Adams , Mary Mary and Bebe Winans   Funeral: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 @ 11:00 AM PST At The Paramount Theater     Oakland, CA:   A who’s who of the gospel world is gathering to pay final respects to Grammy Award winning gospel legend, Bishop Walter Hawkins , who passed away July 11th after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer.   On Tuesday, July 20th , some of the biggest names in gospel music will congregate at The Paramount Theater for a musical salute to Walter Hawkins who is known for his classic gospel songs such as “Goin’ Up Yonder,” “Marvelous,” and   “What is This?” The musical celebration is titled, The Man, the Music, The Ministry: A Musical Salute to Bishop Walter Hawkins.”   Among the stars confirmed to sing Hawkins’ evergreen compositions are platinum artists such as Yolanda Ada...

(Bishop Walter Hawkins performs at the White House during Black Music Month in June 2007) Gospel music icon Bishop Walter Hawkins passed away at his home in  Ripon, CA today.  A  singer, songwriter, producer and musician, Hawkins had a 2-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Hawkins was a contemporary gospel forerunner who rose to prominence as a member of the Edwin Hawkins Singers in the early seventies. The influence the Grammy Award winning Hawkins  has had on gospel music history is worthy of volumes.  His "Love Alive" album series, consisting of songs recorded from the 70's to the 90's, yielded numerous cuts that will never get old including "Marvelous," "Going Up Yonder", "Changed," "Be Grateful," and "Thank You." Artists from various genres did re-makes of his songs from the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin and American Idol Champ Ruben Studdard to Vicki Winans. His sleek tenor voice possessed authority and...