Albertina Walker

Popularly referred to as the "Queen of Gospel Music," Albertina Walker (August 29, 1929 – October 8, 2010) was an American Grammy award winning gospel singer, songwriter, actress, and humanitarian. She founded The Caravans in the 1950's. In 1995, Walker joined Thelma Houston, [a=CeCe Peniston], Phoebe Snow and Lois Walden to record a gospel album in common, "Good News in Hard Times," as the quintet called The Sisters of Glory. Walker helped launch some of the biggest names in traditional gospel through her vocal ensemble the Caravans. Gospel music icons such as Inez Andrews, Shirley Caesar, Rev. James Cleveland, Bessie Griffin, and Dorothy Norwood established their careers in the Caravans, who achieved wide fame in the late 1950s, headlining at Carnegie Hall and other high-profile venues. Through the Caravans, Walker popularized the music she heard growing up on the South Side of Chicago; and the celebrated ensemble in turn made her a legend.