Hovie Walker Passes Away

Nashville, TN — A friend to everyone he met and a man who would give you the shirt off his back, Hovie Walker, went to meet his Savior he sang so well about in the early morning hours of March 24, 2017 with his wife and two daughters at his side.

A celebration of life service will be held on Tuesday, March 28, 2017 at 10:00 a.m., with visitation one hour prior to service time, beginning at 9:00 a.m., at the River of Life Church (596 Sam Ridley Pkwy W Smyrna, TN 37167). Visitation will be held on Monday, March 27, 2017 from 4:00–8:00 p.m., at Spring Hill Funeral Home (5110 Gallatin Rd. Nashville, TN 37216). Interment will take place in the Historic Spring Hill Cemetery.

Hovie Walker was one of the greatest Bass singers to ever approach a microphone reaching lower notes than most any Bass singer today. Hovie sang with such groups as the Thrasher Brothers, Willie Wynn and the Tennesseans, the Statesmen, Leon Russell. After a time of reflection and returning to his calling, Hovie joined Jim Murray, Sherman Andrus, and Terry Blackwood and put together the Classic Voices or former “Imperials”. Lastly he sang with his wife, Sondra. Not only could Hovie sing great, but he could deliver a sermon with the best of them. Hovie was born to be in Gospel Music. He was named after Gospel Great Hovie Lister and was recently inducted into the Tri-State Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

Hovie was a person that treasured anything and everything that people gave him and more than likely he still has all of those things today. Hovie also couldn’t meet and talk with you without sharing a funny story. Some were just jokes he had heard, but others were stories from the road and you would laugh until your side hurt so for those of you who really knew Hovie, his family would like you to remember him by his famous last words “Hey, call me, I’ve got a joke!”

Hovie is preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Jackson and Nellie Ada (Critteneden) Walker; brother, Kenny Walker; sisters, Wanda Williams and Zanda Leamon.

He is survived by his wife, Sondra Walker; two daughters, Keisha and husband, Steven Shelton, and Chelsea Lynn Walker; two grandchildren, Colby Graham and Adasyn Graham; two brothers, Cecil Walker and Bud Walker. Hovie is also survived by a host of relatives and friends.

Serving as pallbearers will be Ken Davidson, Jeff Walker, Lucas Walker, Justin Mercer, Brodie Logan, Raymon Whitt. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be James Dean, David Clark, John Foster, Jerry Brown, and Fred Mercer.