Oh Happy Day singer dies aged 74

EDWIN Hawkins has tragically passed away.

By Chloe Stewart /

Edwin Hawkins has passed away GETTY

DIED: Edwin Hawkins has passed away

Oh Happy Day singer Edwin Hawkins has died aged 74.

The American gospel star died at his California home.

His publicist revealed that the Grammy award winner had been suffereing from pancreatic cancer.

Edwin Hawkins being interviewed by Dick Clarke in 1969 GETTY

GOSPEL LEGEND: Edwin Hawkins being interviewed by Dick Clarke in 1969

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    Hawkins was born in Oakland, California on August 19, 1943.

    At the age of seven Hawkins was accompanying his family's gospel choir as a keyboardist.

    He was thought of as a trailblazer of gospel music, combining secular sound with gospel hymns.

    Edwin Hawkins tragically passes away GETTY

    GOSPEL LEGEND: Edwin Hawkins tragically passes away

    His most famous hit was the 1969 smash, Oh Happy Day.

    The song reached number two in the UK charts and sold over seven million copies worldwide in 1969.

    It was also included in the Songs of The Century list, which saw Judy Garland's Over The Rainbow take the top spot.

    Edward Hawkins hits the stage with The Blind Boys of Alabama GETTY

    PERFORMER: Edward Hawkins hits the stage with The Blind Boys of Alabama

    The Edward Hawkins singers also stormed the charts a year later backing folk singer Melanie on Lay Down (Candles in the Rain).

    As well as being an accomplished singer, Hawkins was also a composer, arranger, pianist and choir master.

    He played his last shows in December to a crowd at the Holiday Soul concert in San Francisco.