Walter Hawkins – A Song In My Heart

By Rene Williams

Coda Records

When you say the name “Hawkins” in the gospel arena, thoughts of great and timeless gospel music come to mind. Whether its Edwin , Tramaine or Walter Hawkins , classic songs of the church seem to follow the name. That is certainly the case with Walter Hawkins . He has been the force behind such hits as I'm Going Away, Changed, Dear Jesus, I Love You, Goin' Up Yonder, Be Grateful, He's That Kind Of Friend, Holy One, Jesus Christ Is The Way, Thank You and the list goes On And On (another tune he penned). Known for recordings with the Love Center Choir , Bishop Walter Hawkins is now recording on his own and let me tell you, what he brings to the table on this new project is nothing less than what you would expect from this gospel legend. No longer with GospoCentric Records, he recently formed Coda Records and is the label's debut artist. The first project out the gate is A Song In My Heart .

The 14-track CD opens with the Latin-flavored title tune A Song In My Heart . The beat-driven tune is sprinkled with a strong horn section. Walter's vocals are simply breathtaking; his upper register is Marvelous . The track, penned by Bishop himself, is one you'll wanna dance to.

One of the highlights of this project is For Who You Are . The song is a poignant, worshipful one enhanced by a fabulous string orchestra. Conducted by Jeremy Lubbock , known for his work with Barbra Streisand , Celine Dion , Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds , and BeBe & CeCe Winans , the string work adds depth to this moving tune. For Who You Are finds Hawkins singing from the heart to God about His magnificence. Another favorite is sure to be the choir-backed Just A Prayer Away . The song showcases the impressive range of this impeccable tenor. Written by Hawkins, the song is powerful with a truly catchy hook. We all need to be reminded from time to time that God is just a prayer away.

Another standout is the mellow, acoustic guitar-tinged Ever-Loving Father . The lush harmonies complement the message of the paternal nature of God. Son of Tramaine and Walter Hawkins , Jamie Hawkins steps in as a co-songwriter on A Song In My Heart as well. Father and son share the pen on the rhythmic and wonderfully creative tune, We Sing Praises . The head-bopping and praiseworthy song is certainly one of the best on this project. Faithfully incorporates a new urban hip sound with a classic feel. Gliding flawlessly from one tempo to another, the ballad Forgiving God, written by Russell Watson , is a tearjerker and will be a song of healing for many. Hawkins gives us some old-time church on the Staples Singers Tribute (Help Me Jesus) . Bringing in his older brother Edwin and his sister Lynette Hawkins-Stephens along with famed guitarist Jonathan Dubose on bass, the tune will certainly take you back.

Jamie continues his role on the project as he contributes his vocals and his song Highest Praise . The duet with his father is so classy. The pretty ballad starts off with the church anthem Hallelujah and flows into a worshipful and quiet song to the Lord. Another strong cut is the modern, bouncy Give It To Jesus . Continuing in an urban vibe, Hawkins provides the hip-hop, danceable track Wanna Say Thank You Lord . Taking us back to the pews, he gives us the improvisational Almighty God . Starting off with a sweet acoustic piano accompaniment by noted producer and songwriter Kevin Bond , the song is brief, but quite touching. Agree is yet again another standout track. The message is certainly thought provoking. The theme centers around “getting out of the way and agreeing with what God wants to do”. What a word of wisdom! The sound of the song is reminiscent to what fans of Hawkins are familiar with. He closes with All I Know, an incredibly beautiful song which includes a chorus of What A Friend We Have In Jesus . It's a nice way to end this project.

Not only is Hawkins a groundbreaking songwriter, he is an exceptional producer as well. Producing all 14 tracks, Hawkins seems to just get better with age. From beginning to end, A Song In My Heart is flawless. From the impressive packaging to the selection of riveting songs to Hawkins' dynamic vocal delivery, this project is a winner.

For more information about Walter Hawkins, go to www.walterhawkins.org

Feedback - Rene Williams is a freelance writer for Gospelcity.com, GTM Magazine and Charisma Magazine. She also is the author of the Gospel News Update, a bi-weekly e-zine about what's happening in the Christian music industry, and the D.C. Gospel News Update, a weekly newsletter about gospel events in the Washington, D.C. area.