(Photo By Flickr User CL Holly)
Central City Productions completed the taping of the 2018 Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards in Las Vegas, NV at the Orleans Arena this past weekend. The annual show was hosted by Kirk Franklin. The telecast will premiere on TV One, Good Friday, March 30th, at 9pmE/8pmC . Additionally, the Stellar Awards will air in national broadcast syndication (airing on 130 stations in more than 110 markets around the country), beginning March 31st-May 6th, 2018.
This year’s show open featured Stellar Awards alum Erica Campbell reuniting with her sister Tina Campbell as the hit gospel duo Mary for the first time in more than six years. The show also included an all-star tribute to the late, great Edwin Hawkins, with his sister Lynette Hawkins accepting the Edwin Hawkins Icon Award in his honor. Also, a stand out moment featured the multi-platinum award-winning Snoop Dogg with a special appearance from B-Slade, performing material from his new gospel album, “Bible of Love.”
Top winners of the night were JJ Hairston six awards; Tasha Cobbs Leonard and Travis Greene each winning four awards; and Anthony Brown winning two awards.
Below is the complete list of winners for the 2018 Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards:
Category #1
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
– Travis Greene, Crossover Live in Music City, RCA Inspiration
Category #2
SONG OF THE YEAR
– David Bloom, Cortez Vaughn, Phontane Demond Reed & JJ Hairston, You Deserve It, JamesTown Music/Entertainment One
Category #3
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
– Travis Greene, Crossover Live in Music City, RCA Inspiration
CATEGORY #4
ALBERTINA WALKER FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
– Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Passion. Pursuit., Motown Gospel
CATEGORY #5
DUO/CHORUS GROUP OF THE YEAR
– Anthony Brown & group therAPy, A Long Way from Sunday, Key of A/FairTrade/Tyscot Records
CATEGORY #6
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
– Isabel Davis, The Call, Uncle G Records
CATEGORY #7
CD OF THE YEAR
– You Deserve It, JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise, JamesTown Music/Entertainment One
CATEGORY #8
CHOIR OF THE YEAR
– JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise, You Deserve It, JamesTown Music/Entertainment One
CATEGORY #9
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
– Travis Greene, Crossover Live in Music City, RCA Inspiration
CATEGORY #10
CONTEMPORARY DUO/CHORUS GROUP OF THE YEAR
– Anthony Brown & group therAPy, A Long Way from Sunday, Key of A/FairTrade/Tyscot Records
CATEGORY #11
TRADITIONAL DUO/CHORUS GROUP OF THE YEAR
– The Rance Allen Group, Live from San Francisco, Tyscot Records
CATEGORY #12
CONTEMPORARY MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
– Travis Greene, Crossover Live in Music City, RCA Inspiration
CATEGORY #13
TRADITIONAL MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
– Marvin Sapp, Close, Verity/RCA Inspiration
CATEGORY #14
CONTEMPORARY FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
– Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Passion. Pursuit., Motown Gospel
CATEGORY #15
TRADITIONAL FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
– CeCe Winans, Let them Fall in Love, Pure Springs Gospel
CATEGORY #16
CONTEMPORARY CD OF THE YEAR
– Passion. Pursuit., Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Motown Gospel
CATEGORY #17
TRADITIONAL CD OF THE YEAR
– Close, Marvin Sapp, Verity/RCA Inspiration
CATEGORY #18
URBAN/INSPIRATIONAL SINGLE OR PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
– You Deserve It, JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise, JamesTown Music/Entertainment One
CATEGORY #19
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
– Derek Blanks, We Livin – It’s Still Personal (Tina Campbell), Gee Tree Creative/Malaco
CATEGORY #20
TRADITIONAL CHOIR OF THE YEAR
– Bishop Paul S. Morton, Legacy Live in New Orleans, Tehillah Music Group/Entertainment One
CATEGORY #21
CONTEMPORARY CHOIR OF THE YEAR
– JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise, You Deserve It, JamesTown Music/Entertainment One
CATEGORY #22
INSTRUMENTAL CD OF THE YEAR
– Kirk Whalum, #LoveCovers, Top Drawer Records
CATEGORY #23
SPECIAL EVENT CD OF THE YEAR
– Greenleaf Soundtrack Season 2, Various Artists, RCA Inspiration
CATEGORY #24
RAP HIP HOP GOSPEL CD OF THE YEAR
– Greatness, Canton Jones, Radar Live/Cajo Records
CATEGORY #25
YOUTH PROJECT OF THE YEAR
– God’s Little Soldiers International Boys Choir, Through the Years, DIR/Motor City Praise
CATEGORY #26
QUARTET OF THE YEAR
– The Williams Brothers, Timeless, Blackberry Records
CATEGORY #27
RECORDED MUSIC PACKAGING OF THE YEAR
– Derek Blanks, Passion. Pursuit. (Tasha Cobbs Leonard), Motown Gospel
CATEGORY #28
PRAISE AND WORSHIP CD OF THE YEAR
– You Deserve It, JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise, JamesTown Music/Entertainment One
JAMES CLEVELAND LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
– Tamela Mann
THOMAS A. DORSEY MOST NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
– Bishop Kenneth Moales, Sr.
BOBBY JONES LEGENDS AWARD
– Milton Biggham
ICON AWARD
– Edwin Hawkins (posthumously)
STELLAR HONORS HALL OF FAME
Ben Tankard
Dr. Marabeth Gentry
Kurt Carr
GOSPEL RADIO OF THE YEAR Winners
MAJOR MARKET OF THE YEAR
– WGRB-AM 1390AM (Inspiration 1390), Chicago, Sonya Blakey
LARGE MARKET OF THE YEAR
– WOKB 1680AM, Orlando/Central Florida, Shanti Persaud
MEDIUM MARKET OF THE YEAR
– WFMI 100.9, Virginia Beach, Mike Chandler
SMALL MARKET OF THE YEAR
– KSYB 1300AM, Shreveport, Rhonda Phillips- Sanders
INTERNET STATION OF THE YEAR
– SOAR Radio, soarradio.com, Justin Francis
GOSPEL ANNOUNCER OF THE YEAR
– Liz Black, 1190AM WLIB, New York, NY
(Information courtesy of gospelmusic.org & thebellereport.com)
