Gospel’s living legend Dr. Albertina Walker turns 81 this year and she has achieved numerous awards including Grammy and Stellar Awards.
Gospel’s living legend Dr. Albertina Walker turns 81 this year and she has achieved numerous awards including Grammy and Stellar Awards. She has put out albums that went Gold and is the first Chicago recipient of the prestigious National Endowment of the Arts, which is equal to the Nobel Peace Prize. Her amazing talents and love for gospel music have allowed Walker to grace stages before presidents in the nation’s capital as well as overseas. “I’ve been to the White House four or five times,” Walker said. “I give all the credit and everything to my Lord and Savior!” She performs fewer concerts now, but Walker is still going strong after dozens of albums and seven decades of singing the gospel. “I’m not able to get around like I used to. I may do 12 to 13 shows by myself and with the Caravans,” she said. “We’ve had our day…it’s the young folk time now. Everything has a season.” Within the last decade, she has been plagued with asthma and emphysema, which wears on her ability to perform. “I make no excuses for myself because I brought this on myself by smoking. At the time I didn’t know any better. But when I got serious, I gave up smoking.” Indeed, the Queen of Gospel has been gracious to share the stage with talented mainstream artists and ones up and coming, all of whom often give Walker credit for being a major influence. It’s no secret that the legendary artist has gone down in history as being responsible for paving the way and launching the professional careers of such legendary performers as Shirley Caesar, Delores Washington, Cassietta George, Inez Andrews and Rev. James Cleveland. “I don’t care who you are and how great you are, you didn’t make it on your own or by yourself. Somebody made some foundation. We are all standing on someone’s shoulders, Walker said. “I’m standing on Mahalia Jackson’s shoulders and Roberta Martin, Sallie Martin and Professor Frye. … You stand on somebody’s shoulders.” Walker has worked diligently on the stages and with college music departments to bless young people with an education through the Albertina Walker Scholarship Foundation. The organization gives hundreds of thousands of dollars to deserving students annually. The gospel diva continues to walk in royalty clothed with grace and exude humility. “I just want to be a follower of Christ. I just want to be one of his disciples,” she said. She remains confident that the good news music she has been singing since the age of 3 at West Point Baptist Church in Chicago will stand strong. Walker is scheduled to perform during the city’s Gospel Music Festival this summer. “Remember you are blessed by the Best!” Effie Rolfe is a radio personality and the religion entertainment columnist for the Chicago Defender. E-mail her at effie@theinspirationalcafe.com