26th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards

PHOTO CAPTION: Kirk Franklin All-Star Tribute Performance

 

NASHVILLE, TN (January 15, 2011) – Platinum artist Marvin Sapp topped the list of winners with four awards during the 26^th Annual Stellar Gospel Music AwardS announced Saturday night during the show’s taping at Nashville’s iconic Grand Ole Opry House Theater. Other top winners included James Fortune & Fiya and seasoned vets Bebe & Cece Winans. The awards show is scheduled to air in syndication from January 22, 2011 to March 13, 2011 and broadcast on Saturday, March 5 at 8 p.m. EST on GMC (Gospel Music Channel). 
Photo Credit:A. Turner Archives/courtesy of The FrontPage Firm

MARVIN SAPP BRINGS HOME TOP HONORS AT 26^th ANNUAL STELLAR GOSPEL MUSIC AWARDS

The 26^th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards Airs in Syndication Beginning January 22 to March 13, and on GMC March 5

NASHVILLE, TN (January 17, 2011) – Platinum artist Marvin Sapp topped the list of winners during the 26^th Annual Stellar Gospel Music AwardS announced Saturday night during the show’s taping at Nashville’s iconic Grand Ole Opry House Theater. Sapp took home four awards, including Artist of the Year, Traditional Male of the Year, CD of the Year and Traditional CD of the Year. A highlight of the evening, his emotion-filled finale performance of his biggest hit “Never Would Have Made It” with Stellar Awards host Donnie McClurkin created an overwhelming audience response as he dedicated the night to his recently-deceased wife Dr. Malinda P. Sapp.  The Grand Ole Opry landmark was transformed into a spirit-filled sanctuary as Pastor McClurkin led the ‘congregation’ in a prayer for Sapp and provided one of the night’s biggest moments.   

“It’s great to be honored by your peers, and you do your best to give honor and glory to God,” said Sapp.  “But it’s bittersweet with my wife not here with me.”

PHOTO CAPTION: Pastor Marvin Sapp at the 26^th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards.

Photo Credit: A. Turner Archives/courtesy of The FrontPage Firm

Before introducing the performance, McClurkin added, “If it wasn’t for Pastor Marvin Sapp’s wife Malinda, this song would have never made it on the CD.”

Other top winners included James Fortune & FIYA who received two awards for Group/Duo of the Year and Contemporary CD of the Year, and presented his award to his wife who joined him on stage for standing by him while they were homeless, sleeping out of their car and expecting their third child.  James Fortune was also named Contemporary Male of the Year. Seasoned vets Bebe & Cece Winans won awards individually and collectively; the duo received the Urban Inspirational Single or Performance of the Year and Music Video of the Year awards. Bebe Winans also received the Song of the Year award while CeCe Winans was named Contemporary Female of the Year. 

PHOTO CAPTION: Cece Winans at the 26^th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards

Photo Credit: A. Turner Archives/courtesy of The FrontPage Firm

Karen Clark Sheard received the first-ever Albertina Walker Female Vocalist of the Year award, presented to her by legends Shirley Caesar (former member of The Caravans) and Vickie Winans.  In addition, Serump/Psalms/Universal Music Group artist Kristina Halloway won the hotly-contested Best New Artist category.

Gospel superstar Kirk Franklin, who was honored with the Thomas A. Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award for his Haitian relief efforts, was moved to tears during an All-Star

tribute of the song he wrote to benefit disaster victims “Are You Listening: A Love Song for Haiti” by his friends and colleagues.  The choir included stars CeCe Winans, Vickie Winans, Karen Clark Sheard, Marvin Sapp, Wess Morgan, Dorinda Clark Cole, Shirley Caesar, J Moss, Myron Butler, The Nevel Sisters and others.  The award was presented to Franklin by Haitian-born actor Jimmy Jean-Louis (NBC’s “Heroes”).

Franklin spoke of the industry’s response to the tragedy in Haiti, saying “Gospel music –- we were the first genre to come together and respond musically.”

The hand-clapping, foot-stomping revival began with star-studded red carpet arrivals featuring stars from Gospel, television and film, such as Andrae Crouch, Omari Hardwick (For Colored Girls), Meagan Good (The Game), Yvette Nicole Brown (NBC’s Community), BET’s Dr. Bobby Jones (Bobby Jones Gospel), Beth Payne, Shari Addison and Jessica Reedy from Sunday Best, Committed (winners of NBC’s “The Sing Off”), and Trin-I-Tee 5:7 as well as other notable personalities.  Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee presented Central City Productions CEO and founder of the Stellar Awards Don Jackson with a proclamation celebrating the establishment of September as national Gospel Music Heritage month.

The show was filled with stirring performances, including a heart-pumping opening performance of “Lord You’re Mighty” by JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise; Beverly Crawford brought the audience to their feet with a rendition of “It’s About Time for a Miracle;” Forever Jones masterfully sang “He Wants It All;” and Joshua’s Troop delighted the crowd with the youthful praise song, “Everybody Clap Your Hands.”  Other big performers included Voices of Destiny – 2010 Verizon Wireless “How Sweet the Sound” Choir Contest Winners, Deitrick Haddon, VaShawn Mitchell, a quartet collaboration between The Rance Allen Group, The Soul Seekers, and The Williams Brothers, and more.

The show also recognized the great accomplishments of some of Gospel’s brightest stars as Donald Lawrence received the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award and Vanessa Bell Armstrong received the Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones Legends Award. Both were lauded for their significant contributions to Gospel music which have set the bar for future generations of artists.

The 2011 Award Winners and Nominees are (Winners in Blue):

Artist of the Year
BeBe & CeCe Winans
Fred Hammond
James Fortune & FIYA
Marvin Sapp

Song of the Year
BeBe Winans, “Close to You”
Fred Hammond, Calvin Rodgers, Phillip Feaster, Ericka Warren, Michael Bethany and Dynna Wells, “They That Wait”
James Fortune, C. Fortune and T. Vaughn, “Encore”
Marvin Sapp, “Best In Me”

Male Vocalist of the Year
Byron Cage
Fred Hammond
J. Moss
Marvin Sapp

Female Vocalist of the Year
CeCe Winans
Karen Clark-Sheard
Lucinda Moore
Tamela Mann

Group/Duo of the Year
BeBe & CeCe Winans
Forever Jones
James Fortune & FIYA
The Anointed Pace Sisters

New Artist of the Year
Forever Jones
Kristina Halloway
Travis Greene
Victory Cathedral Choir

CD of the Year
Fred Hammond, Love Unstoppable
J. Moss, Just James
James Fortune & FIYA, Encore
Marvin Sapp, Here I Am

Choir of the Year
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
James Hall & Voices of Citadel
Victory Cathedral Choir
Wilmington Chester Mass Choir

Producer of the Year
Aaron Lindsey, Here I Am
Donald Lawrence, The Experience
Fred Hammond, Love Unstoppable
James Fortune, Terrance Vaughn and Ayron Lewis, Encore

Praise and Worship CD of the Year
Darwin Hobbs , Darwin Hobbs Live: Champion
James Fortune & FIYA, Encore
Phil Tarver, Place of Worship
The Anointed Pace Sisters, Access Granted

Quartet of the Year
Reverend F.C. Barnes & Company
The Christian Angels
The Golden Wings Quartet
The Mighty Clouds of Joy

Traditional Group/Duo of the Year
James Greer & Company
The Anointed Pace Sisters
The Christian Angels
The Mighty Clouds of Joy

Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year
BeBe & CeCe Winans
Forever Jones
James Fortune and FIYA
Trin-i-tee 5:7

Urban Inspirational Performance of the Year
BeBe & CeCe Winans, “Still”
Forever Jones, “Get Ready”
James Fortune & FIYA, “Encore”
Marvin Sapp, “Here I Am”

Music Video of the Year
BeBe and CeCe Winans, “Close to You”
Kirk Whalum, “Make Me a Believer”
Shirley Caesar, “Playground In Heaven”
The Anointed Pace Sisters, “If I Be Lifted Up”

Rap, Hip Hop Gospel CD of the Year
DJ Official, Entermission
Everyday Process, Outtadisworld
Sho Baraka, Lions and Liars
Trip Lee, Between Two Worlds

Traditional Choir of the Year
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
James Hall & Voices of Citadel
Victory Cathedral Choir
Wilmington Chester Mass Choir

Contemporary Choir of the Year
God’s Little Soldiers International
Myron Butler & Levi
Youth for Christ
Youthful Praise featuring J.J. Hairston

Contemporary CD of the Year
BeBe and CeCe Winans, Still
Fred Hammond, Love Unstoppable
J.Moss, Just James
James Fortune and FIYA, Encore

Traditional CD of the Year
James Hall & Voices of Citadel, Won’t It Be Wonderful
Marvin Sapp, Here I Am
Shirley Caesar, A City Called Heaven
Vanessa Bell Armstrong, The Experience

Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year
Fredericka Faison
Lucinda Moore
Shirley Caesar
Vanessa Bell Armstrong

Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year
CeCe Winans
Karen Clark-Sheard
Lisa Page Brooks
Tamela Mann

Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year
Alvin Darling
Darrell Hines
Marvin Sapp
Mavin Winans

Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year
Byron Cage
Fred Hammond
J. Moss
James Fortune

Special Event CD of the Year
BeBe and CeCe Winans, Still
Kirk Franklin , Are You Listening
Various Artists, CoCo Brother Live Presents Stand 2010
Various Artists, WOW Gospel 2010

Children’s Project of the Year
God’s Little Soldiers International, Soldier Story
Kingdom Kids Worldwide, Kingdom Kids Worldwide Volume 1
The Velasquez Family Singers, While We Still Have Time
Youth for Christ, Thanks In Advance

Recorded Music Packaging of the Year
Cameron Hilson and Mark Neubauer, Get Ready
Denise Trotman, Here I Am
Derek Blanks and Ken Barboza, Still
Jeff Gilligan, Love Unstoppable

Special Awards – Honorees

Thomas A. Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award Honoree

Kirk Franklin

Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones Legend Award Honoree

Vanessa Bell Armstrong

James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree

Donald Lawrence

PHOTO CAPTION (L-R): Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones, Vanessa Bell Armstrong (recipient of the Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones Legend Award) – Photo Credit:            A. Turner Archives/courtesy of The FrontPage Firm

The 26^th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards is scheduled to air in syndication from January 22, 2011 to March 13, 2011 and air on Saturday, March 5 at 8 p.m. EST on GMC (Gospel Music Channel).

The Stellar Awards is sponsored by American Airlines, Ford Motor Company, Verizon How Sweet the Sound, Johnson & Johnson, AllState, Chevrolet, State Farm and McDonald’s.

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