Tributes have been paid to gospel singer Walter Hawkins who has died aged 61.
He had produced his first gospel songs in 1967 along with his brother Edwin Hawkins. Their recording of Oh Happy Day became one of the first gospel songs to become a hit in the mainstream charts.
In the 1970s he established the Love Center Church in California, but continued to write and record gospel music, including many albums with his Love Center Choir.
He was a Grammy Award winner and was also nominated for the awards on eight other occasions.
During his long career Mr. Hawkins worked with many other artists including Van Morrison and Jeffrey Osborne.
Mr. Hawkins had been suffering from pancreatic cancer.
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