Top artists in the gospel world gathered Tuesday for a musical salute to gospel legend Walter Hawkins, who died July 11 after battling pancreatic cancer. The tribute concert for Hawkins, a Grammy Award-winning gospel singer, composer and pastor, will be telecast at 8 p.m. Sunday on GMC and repeated throughout the evening.

Hawkins was known for his classic gospel songs such as "Goin' Up Yonder," "Marvelous" and "What is This?"

Born in Oakland, Hawkins studied for his divinity degree at the University of California, Berkeley. While at the university, he recorded his first album, "Do Your Best," in 1972. The next year, he became a pastor and founded the Love Center Church in Oakland, where he also formed a choir.

In the 1980s, Hawkins recorded several albums and earned nine Grammy Award nominations, according to friend and family representative, Bill Carpenter. His "The Lord's Prayer" won a Grammy in 1980, and he also performed on the televised Grammy Awards ceremony that year.

His "Love Alive" albums topped the gospel charts in 1990 and 1993.

Top gospel performers of today performed at Tuesday's concert, including Mary Mary, Karen Clark Sheard, Donnie McClurkin, Byron Cage, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Daryl Coley, and The Love Center Choir.