Affectionately nicknamed Father Hayes by parishioners, Dr. Charles G. Hayes was a beloved church leader and fixture on the Chicago gospel scene for over 50 years with his Cosmopolitan Church of Prayer Choir, aka the Warriors, who produced genre classics including their biggest hit, "Jesus Can Work It Out." Born December 10, 1937 in Verbena, Alabama, Hayes began singing and playing piano as a child. He relocated to the Windy City after high school in 1955 and became an ordained minister two years later. In 1959, at the age of 21, he founded the Universal Kingdom of Christ, soon renamed Cosmopolitan Church of Prayer, on the south side of Chicago. After a period of growth, the church's choir would record more than 30 albums. Their Savoy Records debut, Everything's Alright, was released in 1981. The ensemble went on to hit the Billboard Gospel Albums chart with several LPs, including 1993's I'll Never Forget, 2005's The Remix (on Icee Records), and Hayes' final album with the Warriors, 2013's Back Again (issued by Cosmo Sounds). Throughout much of his tenure with the church, Hayes' Sunday services were broadcast on Chicago radio, and in later years streamed on the Internet. He and his choir also performed around the world, including an appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. Dr. Hayes died in February 2014 in Oak Lawn, Illinois after a long illness. ~ Marcy Donelson