Grammy-winning gospel star, Edwin Hawkins, who is best known for ‘Oh Happy Day’, has died at the age of 74.
Hawkins died at his home in Pleasanton, California on Monday.
He had been suffering from pancreatic cancer, according to his publicist Bill Carpenter.
Hawkins, a trailblazer of modern gospel and inspirational music, was among the first singers to enjoy commercial success with the genre.
He was a composer, keyboardist, arranger and choir master who helped form the Northern California State Youth Choir.
‘Oh Happy Day’, featuring the vocals of Dorothy Combs Morrison, was released in 1969.
The song reached the top 10 on the pop charts, going on to win a Grammy for best soul gospel performance.
The Californian released dozens of albums between 1968 and 1998 earning several awards.
His accolades included four Grammy awards.