::THE SLICE REPORT WITH MONA AUSTIN

buzzz worthy. . . Edwin Hawkins   ‘PRAISE IN THE PLACE’ CO-HOSTED BY DONALD LAWRENCE, AND EVANGELIST JACKIE MELTON The Bay Area’s gospel community came together for an evening of praise to benefit the 2014 Edwin Hawkins & Walter Hawkins Music and Arts Love Fellowship Conference. The ticketed event, held Monday, January 27, 2014 at Love Center Ministries Church was supported by the Bay Area’s clergy, and the gospel communities along with emerging artists, and MALFC Chapter representatives from Fresno, Ca, Las Vegas, NV, and Idaho. The capacity crowd spent most of the evening on their feet as special guests Earnest Pugh, Chrystal Rucker, and Jonathan Nelson performed their chart topping favorites, while also showing their appreciation for Dr. Edwin Hawkins and the memory of the late Bishop Walter L. Hawkins. Any MALFC event would not be complete without the participation of great choirs. The signature Hawkins sound was on display, as local choirs were re...

(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...