Gospel Legend Albertina Walker Dies

Dr. Albertina Walker, who was known as the "Queen of Gospel," has died at age 81.

Walker's granddaughter, Tina Nance, says the gospel star died Friday morning of respiratory failure at RML Specialty Hospital on the city's West Side.

She had been battling emphysema, and had been hospitalized since late August, the Tribune reported.

CBS 2's Harry Porterfield sat down with Walker last year for her 80th birthday. He reported that Walker's sweet sound won her a Grammy and a life full of accomplishments.

Walker was the youngest of nine children, and she loved gospel from the moment she could speak.

She began her singing career at the West Point Missionary Baptist Church in Bronzeville, where a record producer discovered her.

But she didn't want to record by herself, so she invited some friends. With that, the great gospel group The Caravans was born. That led to a successful solo career.

Walker was also a protege of gospel star Mahalia Jackson.

More recently, Walker's foundation awarded more than 50,000 to music students around the country.

Nance remembers her grandmother wowing the cast of the Steve Martin movie "Leap of Faith" when she sang a solo for a scene. Nance, an extra in the 1992 movie, says filming stopped because so many of the actors were moved to tears by her performance.

Nance says Steve Martin sent Walker a bouquet with a card that read, "You are truly the greatest gospel singer in the world." Walker treasured it because she had admired Martin's comedy.

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