Albertina Walker
Queen of Gospel
August 29, 1929 – October 8, 2010
Contralto voice, Gospel Singer
Grammy Award winner
Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame
President GeorgeW. Bush honored Ms. Walker for her contribution to gospel music in a White House ceremony in 2002.
Alberta Walkerr was born August 29, 1929 , in Chicago, Illinois. She was the youngest out of her nine siblings. Walker started singing in church choirs at an early age of four and by the time she was a teenager, was touring with Mahalia Jackson. In 1951, she formed The Caravans which also included band mate Shirley Ceasar and soon after earned the title of “Queen of Gospel.” In the late 1960s, Walker disbanded The Caravans and began performing as a solo artist. She recorded her first solo album, “Put a Little Love in Your Heart” in 1975. Walker recorded over 60 albums, including “Please Be Patient With Me” (1979), “I Can Go to God in Prayer” (1981), “Impossible Dream” (1997), and “Joy Will Come” (1997). She garnered ten Grammy nominations and won the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Gospel Album for “Songs of The Church.” Walker was inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 2001 and in 2005 the Grammy Awards honored her for her contributions to the gospel music industry.
Albetina also engaged into the acting field during the 1990’s and early 2000’s.
Albertina as an accomplished iconic voice in the Gospel music field has acquired 15 Gold Records; 3 Stellar Awards; several Gospel Music Workshop of America Excellence Awards. She 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.
On her 81st birthday, Walker was admitted to a local Chicago Hospital and placed on a ventilator. For some time she had been battling emphysema. On Friday morning at RML Specialty Hospital October 8, 2010 at the age of 81. The cause of death was respiratory failure.
Albertina Walker was a titanic in the gospel arena. She plowed through all obstacles and became the Queen of Gospel music. Her presence and contralto voice that moved our souls will be missed but the joy of her music lives on to encourage us that as her songs state “Please be Patient With Me God Is Not Through With Me Yet”, I Can Go To God In Prayer, “Joy Will Come”.” Don’t Let Nobody Turn You Around”. And impeccable renowned accomplished Spirit, Lady and performer who has and still today influence all.