Platinum Gospel: Albertina Walker

In October 2010, gospel music was shook to it's core by loss of the great Albertina Walker. Her contributions to the community are unparalleled any other performer in the genre. In the 1930s Walker began honing her craft as a gospel singer at a very young age. She learned from none other than the original gospel star, Mahalia Jackson. In 1951 she formed one of the most successful gospel groups of all time, the Caravans. The group became a training ground of sorts for Gospel's biggest stars. Shirley Caesar, Rev. James Cleveland, Inez Andrews, Dorothy Norwood, and Evelyn Turrentine-Agee all performed in the Caravans before launching wildly successful solo careers. It is in this regard that some people refer to Walker as the Miles Davis of Gospel. This re-mastered collection celebrates her magnificent work as a band leader and vocalist.