Edwin Reuben Hawkins (August 19, 1943 – January 15, 2018) was an American g… Read Full Bio ↴Edwin Reuben Hawkins (August 19, 1943 – January 15, 2018) was an American gospel musician, pianist, choir master, composer, and arranger. He was one of the originators of the urban contemporary gospel sound. He (as leader of the Edwin Hawkins Singers) was probably best known for his arrangement of "Oh Happy Day" (1968–69), which was included on the Songs of the Century list. The Edwin Hawkins Singers made a second foray into the charts exactly one year later, backing folk singer Melanie on "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)".
At the age of seven Hawkins was already the keyboardist to accompany the family's gospel choir. Together with Betty Watson, he was the co-founder of the Northern California State Youth Choir of the Church of God in Christ, which included almost fifty members. This ensemble recorded its first album Let Us Go into the House of the Lord at the Ephesian Church of God in Christ in Berkeley, California privately (on the Century 70 custom label), hoping to sell 500 copies. "Oh Happy Day" was just one of the eight songs on the album. (The soloists in the album were Elaine Kelly, Margarette Branch, Dorothy Combs Morrison, Tramaine Davis (Hawkins), Reuben Franklin, Donald Cashmere, Betty Watson, and Ruth Lyons.)
When radio stations of the San Francisco Bay area started playing "Oh Happy Day", it became very popular. Featuring the lead vocal of Dorothy Combs Morrison, the subsequently released single (on the newly created Pavilion label distributed by Buddah) rocketed to sales of over a million copies within two months. It crossed over to the pop charts making U.S. No. 4, UK No. 2, No. 2 on the Irish Singles Chart, and No. 1 on the German Singles Charts in 1969. It then became an international success, selling more than 7 million copies worldwide, and Hawkins was awarded his first Grammy for it. Hawkins' arrangement of the song was eventually covered by The Four Seasons on their 1970 album Half & Half.
Their second Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 charts was the 1970 Melanie single "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)," on which the label listed the performers as Melanie with The Edwin Hawkins Singers. The song peaked at No. 6 in the U.S. In the 1992 movie Leap of Faith, Hawkins is the choir master for the gospel songs.
Hawkins died on January 15, 2018, at the age of 74.
At the age of seven Hawkins was already the keyboardist to accompany the family's gospel choir. Together with Betty Watson, he was the co-founder of the Northern California State Youth Choir of the Church of God in Christ, which included almost fifty members. This ensemble recorded its first album Let Us Go into the House of the Lord at the Ephesian Church of God in Christ in Berkeley, California privately (on the Century 70 custom label), hoping to sell 500 copies. "Oh Happy Day" was just one of the eight songs on the album. (The soloists in the album were Elaine Kelly, Margarette Branch, Dorothy Combs Morrison, Tramaine Davis (Hawkins), Reuben Franklin, Donald Cashmere, Betty Watson, and Ruth Lyons.)
When radio stations of the San Francisco Bay area started playing "Oh Happy Day", it became very popular. Featuring the lead vocal of Dorothy Combs Morrison, the subsequently released single (on the newly created Pavilion label distributed by Buddah) rocketed to sales of over a million copies within two months. It crossed over to the pop charts making U.S. No. 4, UK No. 2, No. 2 on the Irish Singles Chart, and No. 1 on the German Singles Charts in 1969. It then became an international success, selling more than 7 million copies worldwide, and Hawkins was awarded his first Grammy for it. Hawkins' arrangement of the song was eventually covered by The Four Seasons on their 1970 album Half & Half.
Their second Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 charts was the 1970 Melanie single "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)," on which the label listed the performers as Melanie with The Edwin Hawkins Singers. The song peaked at No. 6 in the U.S. In the 1992 movie Leap of Faith, Hawkins is the choir master for the gospel songs.
Hawkins died on January 15, 2018, at the age of 74.
I Heard The Voice Of Jesus
The Edwin Hawkins Singers Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'I Heard The Voice Of Jesus' by these artists:
101 Strings Orchestra and Chorus I heard the voice of Jesus say "Come unto Me and…
Boy's & Girl's Children's Choir Watered down clock-turns looking onto frozen bodies are spin…
Heartcry I heard the voice of Jesus say, "Come unto Me and…
Horatius Bonar I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come unto Me…
The Festival Choir and Hosanna Chorus I heard the voice of Jesus say "Come unto Me and…
The Festival Choir Hosanna Chorus I heard the voice of Jesus say "Come unto Me and…
Turley I heard the voice of Jesus say "Come on to me…
Turley Richards I heard the voice of Jesus say "Come on to me…
We have lyrics for these tracks by The Edwin Hawkins Singers:
Happy day Oh happy day (oh happy day) Oh happy day (oh happy…
Jesus Jesus lover of my soul Let me to Thy bosom fly While…
Jesus, Lover of My Soul Jesus, Lover of my soul Jesus, I will never let you…
Lay Down Lay down, lay down, let it all down Let your white…
Lord Don't Move That Mountain Now Lord don't move my mountain But give me the strength…
O Happy Day Oh happy day (oh happy day) Oh happy day (oh happy…
O-o-h Child Ooh child Things are gonna get easier Ooh child Things'll ge…
Oh Oh happy day (oh happy day) Oh happy day (oh happy…
Ooh Child Ooh child Things are gonna get easier Ooh child Things'll ge…Precious Memories Precious memories, How they linger How they ever flood my…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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@pippipippi4265
"I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say"
by Horatius Bonar, 1808-1899
1. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Come unto Me and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down,
Thy head upon My breast."
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary and worn and sad;
I found in Him a resting-place,
And He has made me glad.
2. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Behold, I freely give
The living water; thirsty one,
Stoop down and drink and live."
I came to Jesus, and I drank
Of that life-giving stream.
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
And now I live in Him.
3. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"I am this dark world's Light.
Look unto Me; thy morn shall rise
And all thy day be bright."
I looked to Jesus, and I found
In Him my Star, my Sun;
And in that Light of Life I'll walk
Till traveling days are done.
The Lutheran Hymnal
Hymn #277
Text: John 6:35
Author: Horatius Bonar, 1846
Composer: John B. Dykes, 1868
Tune: "Vox dilecti"
@blythemosher6726
My son shared this with me. We have been praying that God would soften his heart. I believe God is answering prayers. Thank you Jesus! ❤😊
@musicgirlriley7010
Amen!🙏🏾
@mayab.9056
My father played this album almost every weekend when I was a child in the 70s. To this day this song is the most beautiful gospel song I’ve heard.
@yeabsrahenok
how old are u?
@darlenewatts2008
My mom played this too she sang in a little church group. Now she’s singing with the angels since June 9, 2022! Thank you mom for planting the seeds! Moving forward in Jesus my solid rock!
@629lrogers
This is the song that led me to Christ and salvation in 1975. And I still walk with Him no turning back and no regrets!
@timothydavis1885
Beautiful testimony!
@Cottage1113
Me too.
@kayevictor7548
I as well…as a lost, confused college student in 1972…this song consumed my soul. I was searching for Christ and didn’t yet know it. Fifty+ years later this one song moves me to tears. Oh, the love of Jesus!
@monicahope3615
In 1970 I was 10 years old. A young man named Darryl Douglass formed a gospel choir in the Northeast Bronx, called the Edenwald Community Choir. I was at the very first rehearsal - there were about 10 of us. We rehearsed at the Laconia Presbyterian Church - yes - gospel in a Presbyterian church! I sang and traveled with them until I was 17 when I went away to college in 1978. I know every single one of these words because we sang this song. I don't know what made me think of it today, but I am SO glad someone posted it on YouTube. Edwin Hawkins was a TRUE gospel trailblazer.