Central City Productions wrapped up the taping of the 34th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards on Friday, March 29 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, NV.
The evening’s big winner was Jonathan McReynolds. The Chicago native and eOne Music recording artist’s first live project, titled Make Room, swept the awards taking home eight Stellar Awards including AT&T Artist of the Year, State Farm Song of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, CD of the Year, Producer of the Year, Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year, Contemporary CD of the Year and Urban/Inspirational Performance of the Year.
Other multiple winners included Jekalyn Carr, who picked up three awards including Albertina Walker Female Vocalist of the Year, Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year and Traditional CD of the Year for her release One Nation Under God. The Walls Group grabbed two awards as Duo/Chorus Group of the Year and Contemporary Duo/Chorus Group of the Year for their release The Other Side. Their weekend was also punctuated by the announcement of their new label home, My Block Inc, headed by Grammy Award winning producer Warryn Campbell. Keith “Wonderboy” Johnson served as the other multiple winner. The New York native and quartet aficionado snagged the awards for Traditional Duo/Chorus of the Year and Quartet of the Year for his release Keep Pushin.
Gospel legend Delores Washington Green of The Caravans received the Dr. Bobby Jones Legend Award. Grammy Award winning gospel icon Yolanda Adams and Stellar Awards Founder, Chairman & CEO Don Jackson inducted James Robinson Jr. (Malaco Gospel), Jackie Patillo (Gospel Music Association) and Phil Thornton (RCA Inspiration) into the Stellar Honors Hall of Fame.
This year’s line-up of performances included an energetic medley of landmark hits from Grammy Award winner Hezekiah Walker. Kirk Franklin stirred the audience with the presentation of his latest single “Love Theory”, while worship leaders Phil Thompson, Kelontae Gavin and Maranda Curtis made their Stellar Awards performance debut with a powerful medley. Other performers included Brian Courtney Wilson, Koryn Hawthorne, Todd Dulaney, Charles Jenkins, Jekalyn Carr and emerging new artists Jabari Johnson, Will McMillian and more.
The evening was punctuated by an emotional performance from Kelly Price, Erica Campbell and Regina Belle honoring the undisputed Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. Brenda Corbett, Jordan Franklin and Kecalf Franklin, representing the Family of the late-legend, were presented with the inaugural Aretha Franklin ICON Award in honor of her profound impact on the Gospel music genre and unforgettable contributions.
The 34th Annual Stellar Awards, hosted by Kirk Franklin, will premiere on BET Network on Easter Sunday, April 21 at 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT. The show will continue to air around the country in broadcast syndication from April 27 through May 26 (check local listings). For more information visit us at www.thestellarawards.com.
Check out the full listing of winners below.
34th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Award Winners
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
– Jonathan McReynolds, Make Room, Entertainment One
SONG OF THE YEAR
– Not Lucky, I’m Loved, Jonathan McReynolds (artist), Jonathan McReynolds, Terrell Demetrius Wilson & Anna B. Warner (songwriters), Entertainment One
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
– Jonathan McReynolds, Make Room, Entertainment One
ALBERTINA WALKER FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
– Jekalyn Carr, One Nation Under God, Lunjeal Music Group
DUO/CHORUS GROUP OF THE YEAR
– The Walls Group, The Other Side, RCA Inspiration/Fo Yo Soul Recordings
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
– Jabari Johnson, Day of Redemption, Entertainment One
CD OF THE YEAR
– Make Room, Jonathan McReynolds, Entertainment One
CHOIR OF THE YEAR
– Bishop Noel Jones & City of Refuge Sanctuary Choir, Run to the Altar, JH/Tyscot
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
– Jonathan McReynolds & Darryl “Lil Man” Howell, Make Room, Entertainment One
CONTEMPORARY DUO/CHORUS GROUP OF THE YEAR
– The Walls Group, The Other Side, RCA Inspiration/Fo Yo Soul Recordings
TRADITIONAL DUO/CHORUS GROUP OF THE YEAR
– Keith “Wonderboy” Johnson, Keep Pushin, Wonder Spirit/SRT/Shanachie
CONTEMPORARY MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
– Jonathan McReynolds, Make Room, Entertainment One
TRADITIONAL MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
– VaShawn Mitchell, Cross Music, Tyscot
CONTEMPORARY FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
– Tasha Page-Lockhart, The Beautiful Project, RCA Inspiration/Fo Yo Soul Recordings
TRADITIONAL FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
– Jekalyn Carr, One Nation Under God, Lunjeal Music Group
CONTEMPORARY CD OF THE YEAR
– Make Room, Jonathan McReynolds, Entertainment One
TRADITIONAL CD OF THE YEAR
– One Nation Under God, Jekalyn Carr, Lunjeal Music Group
URBAN/INSPIRATIONAL SINGLE OR PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
– Not Lucky, I’m Loved, Jonathan McReynolds, Entertainment One
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
– Won’t He Do It, Koryn Hawthorne (artist), Casey Cross (director), RCA Inspiration
TRADITIONAL CHOIR OF THE YEAR
– Bishop Noel Jones & City of Refuge Sanctuary Choir, Run to the Altar, JH/Tyscot
CONTEMPORARY CHOIR OF THE YEAR
– New Direction, When All God’s Children Get Together, New Haven Records
INSTRUMENTAL CD OF THE YEAR
– CATEGORY OMITTED
SPECIAL EVENT CD OF THE YEAR
– The Best of Fred Hammond, Fred Hammond, Verity/Sony Music
RAP HIP HOP GOSPEL CD OF THE YEAR
– God Knows, Flame, Clear Sight Music
YOUTH PROJECT OF THE YEAR
– Pure N Heart, “Be You” 15 Years Unplugged, Music2ChangeU
QUARTET OF THE YEAR
– Keith “Wonderboy” Johnson, Keep Pushin, Wonder Spirit / SRT/Shanachie
RECORDED MUSIC PACKAGING OF THE YEAR
– Israel Houghton, Road to DeMaskUs, RCA Inspiration
PRAISE AND WORSHIP CD OF THE YEAR
– Your Great Name, Todd Dulaney, Entertainment One
THOMAS A. DORSEY MOST NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
– The Sensational Nightingales
DR. BOBBY JONES LEGENDS AWARD
– Dolores Washington Green
ARETHA FRANKLIN ICON AWARD
– Aretha Franklin (posthumously)
STELLAR HONORS HALL OF FAME
– Jackie Patillo
– Phil Thornton
– James D. Robinson, Jr.
GOSPEL RADIO OF THE YEAR WINNERS
MAJOR MARKET OF THE YEAR
– WPZE Praise 102.5, Atlanta
LARGE MARKET OF THE YEAR
– WFMI-FM 100.9 FM, Virginia Beach
MEDIUM MARKET OF THE YEAR
– WCGL AM 1360/FM 94.7, Jacksonville
SMALL MARKET OF THE YEAR
– WIMG 1300AM, Ewing
INTERNET STATION OF THE YEAR
– uGospel Radio, http://uGospel.com
GOSPEL ANNOUNCER OF THE YEAR
– Dwight Stone, WPZE Praise 102.5, Atlanta, GA
