The Edwin Hawkins Singers
As directors of music at their Berkeley church, the Ephesian Church of God in Christ, Edwin Hawkins (b. August 1943, Oakland, California, USA) and Betty Watson began in 1967 to absorb the leading soloists from other San Francisco-based choirs to inaugurate the North California State Youth Choir. In 1969, the 50-strong ensemble recorded an album to boost their funds, and when San Francisco disc jockey Tom Donahue began playing one of its tracks, ‘Oh Happy Day’, the assemblage found itself with both a record contract with the Buddah Records label and a surprise international hit. Although renamed the Edwin Hawkins Singers, the featured voice belonged to Dorothy Combs Morrison (b. Longview, Texas, USA) and much of the single’s attraction comes from her powerful delivery. The singer subsequently embarked on a solo career which failed to maintain its initial promise while Hawkins, deprived of such an important member, struggled in the wake of this ‘novelty’ hit, although they enjoyed a period of great demand for session singing. One such session put them back into the US charts in 1970 while guesting on Melanie’s Top 10 hit ‘Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)’. It was their last chart appearance to date and eventually the group’s fortunes faded. The Singers, now somewhat reduced in numbers, continue to tour and occasionally record.
© TiVo
Discography
8 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord
Gospel - Released by Buddah - Legacy on 1 Jan 1968
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Oh Happy Day: The Best Of The Edwin Hawkins Singers
Gospel - Released by RCA - Legacy on 7 Aug 2001
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Peace Is Blowin' in the Wind
Gospel - Released by Buddah - Legacy on 1 Jan 1969
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
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Live At The Concertgebouw In Amsterdam
Miscellaneous - Released by Floating World Music on 23 Feb 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Edwin Hawkins Singers - Christmas
Pop/Rock - Released by bmg music on 1 Jan 1969
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Peace Is Blowin' in the Wind
Gospel - Released by Buddah - Legacy on 1 Jan 1969
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo