Gospel Singer, Composer, Producer. Called by many the "Queen of Gospel" and founding member of the popular gospel group, The Caravans. Also co-founded the Gospel Music Workshop of America along with Rev. James Cleveland. Throughout her career she packed churches and concert halls from coast to coast and sold countless records. A Grammy-winning artist who loved to perform Gospel music and touch people's hearts. She was a protege of Mahalia Jackson whom she was greatly influenced by. As her career grew she played the role of mentor and was responsible for launching more than a dozen gospel artists' careers. She began singing in the church youth choir in her native Chicago at an early age, and joined several Gospel groups thereafter, including The Pete Williams Singers and the Robert Anderson Singers. In the early 1950s founded The Caravans who's original group consisted of Elyse Yancy, Nellie Grace Daniels, and Ora Lee Hopkins Samson. Later the group launched the careers of Pastor Shirley Caesar, Inez Andrews, Delores Washington, Cassietta George, Evangelist Dorothy Norwood and the "King of Gospel" the Rev. James Cleveland. This rightfully earned her the title "The Star Maker" since she was the one who discovered these legends of Gospel music. The Caravans achieved great success with hits like "Sweeping Through The City", "Mary Don't You Weep", "Walk Around Heaven", and "Lord Keep Me Day By Day". She retired from the group in the late 1960s, performing as a solo artist. During the 1970s, she recorded a series of solo projects. Recorded her first solo project Put A Little Love In Your Heart in 1975. Also recorded several projects together with Rev. James Cleveland. Through out musical career recorded over 60 albums, including gold selling hits "Please Be Patient With Me", "I Can Go To God In Prayer", "The Best Is Yet To Come", "Impossible Dream", and "Joy Will Come". These albums yielded multiple Gold records and Grammy nominations. She reunited with The Caravans for a reunion album entitled Paved The Way, which was released by Malaco Records in 2006. Performers included herself, Dorothy Norwood, Inez Andrews, and Delores Washington. She was the recipient of many awards and honors over her six decades of music ministry. Among them, a 1995 Grammy Award for the Best Traditional Gospel Album (Songs of The Church); 10 Grammy Award nominations; 5 Gold Records; 3 Stellar Awards; 3 Dove Awards; several Gospel Music Workshop of America Excellence Awards; an induction into the 2001 Gospel Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2005, the Grammys, honored her contributions to the Gospel music industry. She is also the recipient of a National Heritage Fellowship. President George Bush honored her for her contribution to Gospel music in May of 2002. Performed for United States presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, and South Africa's president, Nelson Mandela. The City of Chicago paid tribute to her by renaming 35th and Cottage Grove "Albertina Walker and The Caravans Drive". Was also conferred an honorary Doctor of Letters Degree by the Chicago Theological Seminary, an institution of the University of Chicago. Lent her support to many charitable organizations such as United Negro College Fund, American Cancer Society, National Council of Negro Women, Nation of Islam's Million Family March, One Voice "A Fight Against AIDS", NAACP and Operation Push. In 1988 founded The Albertina Walker Scholarship Foundation for the Creative and Performing Arts. Her foundation offers financial assistance to college students in the form of scholarships to further their education in the field of music. She died in a Chicago hospital from emphysema at age 81.