Part II-This is my edited account, in selected clips, of the events, performances and speeches in honor of Albertina Walker the Queen of Gospel. Once Chosen Blake Pierce download Z-Library. Download books for free. Jun 10, 2012 - Albertina Walker singing at James Cleveland's funeral, intro by Al Hobbs.year 1991.

VIA: PraisePhilly.com

It is with deep sadness and great regret that we report the death of Albertina Walker. According to her publicist, the Gospel legend died this morning at 4:30 a.m. in her hometown Chicago.

In early September, rumors of Walker’s passing had spread so wildly that she posted a message on her Facebook page stating: “I’m still here no matter what you might have heard.” At the time, she was in ICU dealing with respiratory problems–a condition she battled for years, and kept her on ventilator for the last few years of her life.

On Tuesday, September 7th, Queen Albertina had a tracheostomy which doctors deemed a success, and late last month she checked out a Chicago hospital. The great news prompted many to believe that Walker was on the road to recovery. While she will be missed tremendously, we can take comfort in the fact that The Queen of Gospel has gone home to the Lord.

Biography

Albertina Walker Hailed as the “Queen of Gospel”, Albertina Walker was born in 1929 in Chicago, IL. At the age of four, Albertina began singing in the Children’s Choir of the West Point Baptist Church under the direction of Professor Pete Williams. It was during this time that America had undergone a major economic collapse and the country was experiencing a great social and political upheaval. The black church was at the heart of this cultural awakening and gospel music was slowly gaining acceptance in the black churches, thanks to the efforts of Gospel greats such as Professor Thomas A. Dorsey, Sallie Martin, Kenneth Morris, Rosetta Thorpe, and Albertina’s personal friend, Mahalia Jackson. Albertina was singing with the Williams Singers touring with Willie Webb and The Robert Anderson Singers.

In 1951 at just twenty two years of age Ms. Walker organized her own group, the world famous CARAVANS.

The original group the Caravans consisted of Elyse Yancy, Nellie Grace Daniels, and OraLee Hopkins Samson.

Albertina discovery of new talent, the legendary Caravans launched the careers of Pastor Shirley Caesar, Inez Andrews, Delores Washington, Cassietta George, Evangelist Dorothy Norwood and the “King of Gospel” the Reverend James Cleveland. This rightfully earned Albertina the title “The Star Maker”. The Caravans achieved great success acclaimed household name with hits like Sweeping Through The City, Mary Don’t You Weep, Walk Around Heaven, and Lord Keep Me Day By Day.

After a stellar career with the Caravans, Albertina went on to phenomenal success as a solo artist, recording her first project Put A Little Love In Your Heart in 1975. To date, she has recorded over 60 albums, including gold selling hits Please Be Patient With Me, I Can Go To God In Prayer, The Best Is Yet To Come, Impossible Dream, and Joy Will Come. Albertina still enjoys an active recording career, often lending her talents to the projects of other artists in addition to her own.

Albertina is committed to the preservation of gospel music and the enhancement of the human experience. To this end, she has lent her support to many charitable organizations such as The United Negro College Fund, The American Cancer Society, The National Council of Negro Women, The Nation of Islam’s “Million Family” March, One Voice “A Fight Against AIDS”, The NAACP and Operation Push. Year of 1988 Albertina founded The Albertina Walker Scholarship Foundation for the Creative and Performing Arts. The foundation offers financial assistance to college students in the form of scholarships to further their education in the field of music.

Ms. Walker’s personal and television appearances worldwide are too numerous to mention. However, she has sung for United States President George Bush, former President Bill Clinton, and The President of South Africa, President Nelson Mandela. Albertina has appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show”, “Good Morning America”, and “The Travis Smiley Show”. Albertina is a frequent guest on the nationally syndicated BET and Word television show, “Bobby Jones Gospel”, “Testify” and “Singsation”. Her fans have also enjoyed her in the motion picture “Leap of Faith” starring Steve Martin, “Going Home to Gospel with Patti Labelle”, the Off Broadway play “The Gospel Truth”, and “The Evolution of Gospel”.

Albertina’s gift in music ministry and unselfish commitment to humanity for over six decades has earned her many awards and honors. Among them, a 1995 Grammy Award for the Best Traditional Gospel Album (Songs of The Church); 10 Grammy Award nominations; 5 Gold Records; 3 Stellar Awards; several Gospel Music Workshop of America Excellence Awards; an induction into the 2001 Gospel Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee. Albertina is featured in the book entitled Who’s Who In Black America, and has received several keys to various cities, she was honored at the Chicago Gospel Festival where a bench bearing her name was placed in downtown Chicago’s Grant Park. The City of Chicago paid tribute to Albertina by renaming 35th and Cottage Grove “Albertina Walker and The Caravans Drive”. Conferred upon Albertina, the honorary Doctor of Letters Degree by the Chicago Theological Seminary, an institution of the University of Chicago Illinois. President Bush honored Albertina for her contribution to gospel music May 31, 2002, the ceremony held at the White House declaring the month of June as Black Music Month.

Albertina Walker Funeral Program

Albertina’s unselfish devotion, contributions and love for gospel music has truly earned her the historical rank as the “Queen of Gospel“. She will truly be missed!

Watch The Caravans reunion with James Cleveland at the 1988 Stellar Awards.AMAZING!! Check out Albertina Walker singing”That’s the way Heaven will be!1894 – Renwick Rowan, contractor & undertaker, and later Parnassus Postmaster, served as New Kensington area undertaker.

1897 – A. W. Kelley purchased undertaking business of A. A. George.

1903 – Renwick Rowan took in Frank L. Hankey as his partner.

1907 – Frank L. Hankey purchased undertaking business of Renwick Rowan.

1917 – Frank L. Hankey moved Undertaking Establishment from Parnassus to Fifth Avenue in New Kensington.

1917 – J. Paul Gordon of Natrona purchased undertaking business of A. W. Kelly.

1921 – J. Paul Gordon Funeral Home established in 1921 at 868 Fourth Ave., New Kensington.

1946 – W. Eugene Beck purchased J. Paul Gordon Funeral Home.

1946 – Frank L. Hankey and sons Charles H. & Ronald T. Hankey, locate at 217 Freeport Road, New Kensington, present site of Ross G. Walker Funeral Home Ltd.

1948 – W. Eugene Beck hired Ross G. Walker as his apprentice intern.

1953 – Ross G. Walker purchased W. Eugene Beck Funeral Home and remained at 868 Fourth Avenue, New Kensington.

1963 – Ross G. Walker purchased Charles H. Hankey Memorial Home, and moved to 217 Freeport Road, New Kensington, merging Hankey, Gordon & Beck Funeral Homes.

1978 – Ross G. Walker’s son (Ross G. Walker III) joins firm.

1981 – Ross G. Walker’s daughter (Lisa Walker Wise) joins firm.

1988 – Ross G. Walker establishes THEOS program in his funeral home, it became the first THEOS group anywhere to meet in a funeral home.

Albertina Walker Funeral

1994 – Ross G. Walker Funeral Home Ltd. owned and operated by Ross G. Walker, his wife Virginia, and two licensed children, Ross & Lisa. THEOS still operating successfully.

Albertina Walker Obituary

2003 – Ross G. Walker Funeral Home Ltd. establishes website on the World Wide Web to offer families access to funeral home products and services via the Internet.