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BIOGRAPHY |
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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.
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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's unselfish devotion, contributions and love
for gospel music has truly earned her the historical rank
as the "Queen of Gospel".
Exuberating her message of faith in God, Albertina
sings "I'm Still Here".
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