Source: Anthony Brown / Front Page/Anthony Brown
TBR — Atlanta, GA — TV and radio personality Rickey Smiley (Dish Nation, Rickey Smiley For Real) and actress and TV personality Sherri Shepherd (Ride Along 2, The View) returned as co-hosts of the 31st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards. Hailed as the “biggest night in gospel music,” this year’s Stellar Awards was once again held at the Las Vegas Orleans Arena on Saturday, February 20, 2016. The telecast will premiere on TV One during the week of March 6, as well as in broadcast syndication on 150 stations in over 125 markets around the country from March 12 – April 10.
The Pre-Awards Show was held on Friday night, February 19, 2016, also held at the Orleans Resort Hotel and hosted by Lexi and Marcus D Wiley.
Guest performers included Dr. Scott, Jakalyn Carr, Teddy and Tina Campbell, Travis Green, Maurette Brown Clark, Todd Dalaney and Earnest Pugh, just to name a few.
Also making a surprise stop by the Stellar Awards Weekend on Saturday morning during the radio honors was Hillary Rodham Clinton. As soon as she was introduced by Stellar Awards Founder Don Jackson, audience members rushed to the front of the stage with camera phones held high, snapping, recording and snap chatting the candidate who ended up winning Nevada before heading to the Carolinas later this week.
This was truly a memorial moment for Stellar Awards Weekend!
The 2016 Stellar Awards nominees in 28 categories included gospel heavyweights Anthony Brown, who was nominated in ten categories, including both Male Vocalist of the Year and Producer of the Year. The prolific songwriter and his bandmates Group therAPy were also nominated for Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Group/Duo of the Year, CD of the Year, Choir of the Year, Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year, Contemporary CD of the Year, and Recorded Music Packaging of the Year and won in ALL ten categories.
Also returning to the show with a slate of nominations this year was chart- topping act Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago who also won several honors including Choir of the year.
Also having a winning Stellar night were Casey J, who won New Artist of the Year and Tasha Cobbs won the Albertina Walker Female Vocalist of the Year.
For the complete list of winners, go to http://www.stellarawards.com
In addition to celebrating the year’s best album releases, awards were also presented for the best gospel radio stations for urban audiences nationwide. Terrestrial and online radio programs that broadcast gospel music were also highlighted, along with the top Gospel Announcer of the Year. (The winners are listed below.)
The Stellar Awards Founder Don Jackson also bestowed special honors upon superstar Yolanda Adams and Faith-based comedian Jonathan Slocumb, while family members received the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award in honor of O’landa Draper (Posthumously) and the Ambassador Bobby Jones Legends Award was presented to Joe Ligon.
Some of this years Stellar Awards spirit-filled performances were delivered by Kirk Franklin, Anthony Brown & Group therAPy, Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago, Tasha Cobbs, Travis Greene, Best New Artist nominee Casey J., the Brat Pack which includes Donald Lawrence, Bishop Hezekiah Walker and Ricky Dillard, and a collaboration performance by Yolanda Adams, Donnie McClurkin, Bishop Marvin Sapp and Karen Clark Sheard.
The Stellar Gospel Radio Awards & Showcase was held on Saturday, February 20 at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, NV.
Below is the complete list of winners:
CATEGORY #1
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
ANTHONY BROWN & GROUP THERAPY, EVERYDAY JESUS, KEY OF A/TYSCOT
CATEGORY #2
SONG OF THE YEAR
ANTHONY BROWN, WORTH – EVERYDAY JESUS (ANTHONY BROWN & GROUP THERAPY), KEY OF A/TYSCOT
CATEGORY #3
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
ANTHONY BROWN, EVERYDAY JESUS, KEY OF A/TYSCOT
CATEGORY #4
ALBERTINA WALKER FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
TASHA COBBS, ONE PLACE LIVE, MOTOWN GOSPEL
CATEGORY #5
GROUP/DUO OF THE YEAR
ANTHONY BROWN & GROUP THERAPY, EVERYDAY JESUS, KEY OF A/TYSCOT
CATEGORY #6
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
CASEY J., THE TRUTH, MARQUIS BOONE/TYSCOT
CATEGORY #7
CD OF THE YEAR
ANTHONY BROWN & GROUP THERAPY, EVERYDAY JESUS, KEY OF A/TYSCOT
CATEGORY #8
CHOIR OF THE YEAR
CHARLES JENKINS & FELLOWSHIP CHICAGO, ANY GIVEN SUNDAY, INSPIRED PEOPLE LLC/MOTOWN GOSPEL
CATEGORY #9
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
ANTHONY BROWN & JUSTIN SAVAGE, EVERYDAY JESUS (ANTHONY BROWN & GROUP THERAPY), KEY OF A/TYSCOT
CATEGORY #10
CONTEMPORARY GROUP/DUO OF THE YEAR
ANTHONY BROWN & GROUP THERAPY, EVERYDAY JESUS, KEY OF A/TYSCOT
CATEGORY #11
TRADITIONAL GROUP/DUO OF THE YEAR
THE RANCE ALLEN GROUP, CELEBRATE, TYSCOT
CATEGORY #12
CONTEMPORARY MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
ANTHONY BROWN, EVERYDAY JESUS, KEY OF A/TYSCOT
CATEGORY #13
TRADITIONAL MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
CHARLES JENKINS, ANY GIVEN SUNDAY, INSPIRED PEOPLE LLC/MOTOWN GOSPEL
CATEGORY #14
CONTEMPORARY FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
TASHA COBBS, ONE PLACE LIVE, MOTOWN GOSPEL
CATEGORY #15
TRADITIONAL FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
TINA CAMPBELL, IT’S PERSONAL, GEE TREE CREATIVE
CATEGORY #16
CONTEMPORARY CD OF THE YEAR
ANTHONY BROWN & GROUP THERAPY, EVERYDAY JESUS, KEY OF A/TYSCOT
CATEGORY #17
TRADITIONAL CD OF THE YEAR
TINA CAMPBELL, IT’S PERSONAL, GEE TREE CREATIVE
CATEGORY #18
URBAN/INSPIRATIONAL SINGLE OR PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
KIRK FRANKLIN, WANNA BE HAPPY? (SINGLE), FO YO SOUL RECORDINGS/RCA RECORDS
CATEGORY #19
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
CHARLES JENKINS & THE SPIN SINGERS, #WAR – ANY GIVEN SUNDAY (CHARLES JENKINS & FELLOWSHIP CHICAGO), INSPIRED PEOPLE LLC/MOTOWN GOSPEL
CATEGORY #20
TRADITIONAL CHOIR OF THE YEAR
CHARLES JENKINS & FELLOWSHIP CHICAGO, ANY GIVEN SUNDAY, INSPIRED PEOPLE LLC/MOTOWN GOSPEL
CATEGORY #21
CONTEMPORARY CHOIR OF THE YEAR
J.J. HAIRSTON & YOUTHFUL PRAISE, I SEE VICTORY, LIGHT RECORDS/EONE MUSIC
CATEGORY #22
INSTRUMENTAL CD OF THE YEAR
BEN TANKARD, FULL TANK 2.0, BENJAMIN UNIVERSAL MUSIC
CATEGORY #23
SPECIAL EVENT CD OF THE YEAR
VARIOUS ARTISTS, WOW GOSPEL 2015, RCA INSPIRATION
CATEGORY #24
RAP HIP HOP GOSPEL CD OF THE YEAR
DEREK MINOR, EMPIRE, REFLECTION MUSIC GROUP/EONE MUSIC
CATEGORY #25
YOUTH PROJECT OF THE YEAR
GOD’S GIFT AND SOLDIERS YOUTH CHOIR, THROUGH THE FIRE AND FLOOD, DIR/MOTOR CITY PRAISE RECORDS
CATEGORY #26
QUARTET OF THE YEAR
THE RANCE ALLEN GROUP, CELEBRATE, TYSCOT
CATEGORY #27
RECORDED MUSIC PACKAGING OF THE YEAR
DENISE TROTMAN & CONNI TREANTEFELES, EVERYDAY JESUS (ANTHONY BROWN & GROUP THERAPY), KEY OF A/TYSCOT
CATEGORY #28
PRAISE AND WORSHIP CD OF THE YEAR
TASHA COBBS, ONE PLACE LIVE, MOTOWN GOSPEL
JAMES CLEVELAND LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
O’LANDA DRAPER (POSTHUMOUSLY)
AMBASSADOR DR. BOBBY JONES LEGEND AWARD
WILLIE JOE LIGON
THOMAS A. DORSEY MOST NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
DR. MARABETH GENTRY & THE THOMAS A. DORSEY FOUNDATION
STELLAR HONORS:
TRAMAINE HAWKINS
YOLANDA ADAMS
MARVIN SAPP
JONATHAN SLOCUMB
GOSPEL RADIO OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
MAJOR MARKET OF THE YEAR
PRAISE 104.1 WPRS, WASHINGTON, DC, RON THOMPSON, (ON AIR CHERYL JACKSON)
LARGE MARKET OF THE YEAR
HEAVEN 600 – WCAO – AM, BALTIMORE, LEE MICHAELS
MEDIUM MARKET OF THE YEAR
PRAISE 104.7 FM WPZZ 104.7, RICHMOND, REGINALD BAKER (ON AIR SHEILAH BELLE)
SMALL MARKET OF THE YEAR
WIMG 1300 AM, TRENTON, NJ, ED LONG (ON AIR KAREN ROGERS)
INTERNET STATION OF THE YEAR
ALL NATIONS RADIO, ALLNATIONSRADIO.NET, BISHOP SAMUEL MCGILL III
GOSPEL ANNOUNCER OF THE YEAR
TRACY BETHEA BODIE, WHAL – MEMPHIS, TN
Courtesy of www.thebellereport.com
