EDWIN HAWKINS SINGERS.

Description

Musikhalle, Hamburg February 1970 concert poster (Petrus Wandrey)

Original first printing concert poster advertising the Edwin Hawkins Singers at the Musikhalle in Hamburg [Germany] on Tuesday, 17th February, 1970, presented by Hans-Werner Funke. By this time, the Edwin Hawkins Singers were riding high in the charts with their international hit “Oh Happy Day”, a gospel music arrangement by Hawkins of an 18th-century hymn by clergyman Philip Doddridge. Hawkins rearranged the hymn to give it more of a gospel feel, and devised a piano introduction which he said was influenced by the music of Sérgio Mendes. When the choir made the recording in 1967, lead singer Dorothy Morrison added some lyrical improvisations influenced by James Brown, which, she said, “made the song feel even more current”. Hawkins’ arrangement quickly became a gospel music standard, and has been recorded by hundreds of artists. It was included on the RIAA Songs of the Century list and won Hawkins a Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance in 1970 (performed by the Edwin Hawkins Singers). The poster features artwork by German artist Petrus Wandrey, with the artist’s imprint to the bottom right corner. Wandrey lived and worked in Hamburg, and his works initially had a distinctly surrealist connection, but were also rooted in pop art.

The poster measures 59.3 x 83.9 cm and is printed on thin, matte-coated paper stock. Folded horizontally at the middle with a faint diagonal crease to the top right corner. Else in remarkably near excellent condition. Feel free to email us with any questions you may have concerning this item. Additional images of the poster available on request.