Daniel Hawkins – Self-titled album

Description

The self-titled, sole album by the American contemporary gospel singer and songwriter Daniel Hawkins was released on Light Records in 1980. The album was recorded by Jack Joseph Puig at Martinsound in Alhambra, California; with Daniel Hawkins producing.

This instrumental album features Daniel Hawkins on acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes electric piano, Hammond B-3 organ, clavinet, Moog synthesizer, and string ensemble, with Joel Smith providing bass, drums, congas, tambourine, triangle, cowbell, and cabassa.

A substantial portion of the heavenly Hawkins Family sound owes its existence to the smooth keyboards of Daniel Hawkins and the gentle rocking percussion of Joel Smith. (All three Hawkins men – Daniel, Edwin and Walter – have mastered the ivories, by the way.) This, Daniel’s first solo album, contains 10 relaxed, all-instrumental jazz versions of Hawkins Family favorites («I’m Going Away», «Follow Me», «Be Grateful», «Jesus Is Mine», and «Praise») as well as a few gospel standards. All selections were arranged by Daniel for piano, Fender Rhodes, Hammond B-3, Clavinet, String Ensemble and Moog Synthesizer. He also produced the LP under the executive direction of Bill Cole. [Karen Marie Platt, CCM (What’s New), May 1981]

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “I’m Goin’ Away” – 4:04
A2. “Jesus Loves Me” – 3:34
A3. “Follow Me” – 2:47
A4. “Jesus Christ Is The Way” – 4:49
A5. “Walk With Me” – 3:20

Side Two
B1. “Be Grateful” – 4:13
B2. “Jesus Is Mine” – 2:53
B3. “I Won’t Be Satisfied” – 3:18
B4. “Goin’ Up Yonder” – 3:19
B5. “Praise” – 2:53

Note: “I’ll Go” was released as a 7-inch vinyl single by Light Records in 1980 (b/w “Because He Loves Us”, both were album tracks). Released on CD in Japan by Cool Sound in 2009.

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A double-page advertisement for various new albums released by Light Records, including Daniel Hawkins’ self-titled album, was featured in the April 18, 1981 issue of Record World.

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