-New Urban In Memoriam- " Oh Happy Day" Singer Edwin Hawkins Passes Away at Age 74

Grammy winner Edwin Hawkins, the gospel star best known for the international crossover hit “Oh Happy Day,” has passed away.

Edwin Hawkins died early Monday (Jan. 15) at his home in Pleasanton, California, a suburb outside of San Francisco. He was 74 and suffered from pancreatic cancer, publicist Bill Carpenter told The Associated Press.

Hawkins last performed in December with the San Francisco Symphony and Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir with CeCe Winans for a Christmas concert celebration, "Holiday Soul". Last Thursday, Hawkins' family shared via social media that he was suffering from "several health challenges." They wrote, "We ask that you please send your support, love, well wishes and prayers of comfort and healing to Edwin and his loved ones at this time."

Edward Hawkins was an Oakland native and one of eight children, and performed with his family and in church groups since childhood. In his 20s, Hawkins helped form the Northern California State Youth Choir.  He formed his gospel group, The Edwin Hawkins Singers in the 1960s, and reached international success  on the pop charts with “Oh Happy Day,”, a hymn from the 1800s that he transformed into a call and response song. "Oh Happy Day" began as part of a recording project to raise money for Hawkins' church, with an aim to sell 500 copies of their record. After a DJ broke the record on a local rock station, the song became a local favorite in the San Francisco Bay Area, then moved onto popularity in New York. "Oh Happy Day"  then shot onto the international pop charts, and became such a worldwide hit that it's included on the list of Songs of the Century.

Hawkins was not only a choir master and keyboardist, he was also a composer and arranger. With his brother Walter Hawkins, he is credited alongside Reverend James Cleveland and Andre Crouch for pioneering the urban contemporary gospel sound.

Amongst many of the gospel singers who have crossed over into mainstream pop music, Hawkins was unique in the arena for enjoying commercial success while still composing and performing music that openly and exclusively espoused his religious faith. His siblings and extended Hawkins family members are also gospel singers and composers, most notably, his brother Walter- who composed the modern gospel classics "Changed",  and "Going Up 'Yonder".  Dr. Edwin Hawkins is survived by his siblings Lynette, Carol, Daniel, and Freddie.