“Oh Happy Day” #4 5/31/1969

Occasionally a spiritual becomes a huge pop hit. Edwin Hawkins was pianist and director of the youth choir at his Oakland church. They’d recorded an album as a fundraiser to attend a conference in Washington, DC. While they were out of town a DJ at underground radio station KSAN played the record, and this cut took off. Edwin’s arrangement of the 18th century hymn took the country by storm. The group later backed Melanie on her 1970 hit “Lay Down (Candles In The Rain).”