Walker, Albertina, << al bur TEE nuh >> (1929-2010), was an American gospel singer. She was popularly known as the “Queen of Gospel Music.” Gospel music is a type of American music drawn from Christian worship that developed in the United States. Walker won a Grammy Award in 1995 for Songs of the Church: Live in Memphis as best traditional soul gospel album. She recorded more than 60 albums in her career. See Gospel music .
Walker was born in Chicago on Aug. 29, 1929. She began singing in her church choir when she was a child. In the 1940’s, Walker toured with the Willie Webb Singers. In 1947, she joined the Gospel Caravan, a group led by the gospel singer and composer Robert Anderson. By 1952, after Anderson had left the group, Walker reorganized it as the Caravans. The Caravans’ hits of the 1950’s included “Tell the Angels” (1952); “Tell Him What You Want” (1955); and “Mary Don’t You Weep,” “He Will Provide,” “Show Me Some Sign,” and “Lord Keep Me Day by Day” (all 1958). The group’s hits of the 1960’s included “Remember Me Oh Lord” and “I Won’t Be Back” (both 1962), “No Coward Soldier” (1963), and “Walk Around Heaven” (1964). Walker disbanded the Caravans by the early 1970’s, but the group occasionally reunited to perform or record. A number of the group’s members—including Inez Andrews, Shirley Caesar, James Cleveland, Cassietta George, Bessie Griffin, Loleatta Holloway, and Dorothy Norwood—became successful solo performers.
Walker began a solo career in the 1970’s. Her first solo album, God Is Love, was released in 1975. Her other solo albums include Please Be Patient With Me (with James Cleveland, 1979); I Can Go to God in Prayer (1981); The Impossible Dream (1984); The Best Is Yet to Come (1988); My Time Is Not Over (1989); and I’m Still Here (1997). She died in Chicago on Oct. 8, 2010.
See also Gospel music .
