Superstars of gospel music come out to celebrate the 25th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards.
The 25th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards were handed out recently at the legendary Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, TN. The show returned to Nashville for the fifth consecutive year and was hosted by Vickie Winans, Kirk Franklin, and Donnie McClurkin. Presenters included Gospel singers Yolanda Adams, The Clark Sisters, Walter Hawkins, “KiKi” Kierra Sheard, J. Moss, as well as actress Sherri Sheppard from the popular TV show, The View, David and Tamela Mann from Tyler Perry’s TBS show, Meet the Browns, and GMC “Gospel Dream” winner Melinda Watts.
Tied at the top of the list of winners this year were chart-topping artists Hezekiah Walker and Mary Mary. Hezekiah and His Love Fellowship Choir took home awards for Artist of the Year, CD of the Year, Contemporary CD of the Year, and Choir of the Year, while Mary Mary won in the Song of the Year and Urban/Inspiration Single or Performance of the Year categories among others for their crossover hit, “God in Me,” from their fifth studio CD, The Sound.
Newcomer and Sunday Best winner Crystal Aikin took home both the New Artist of the Year Award and the Contemporary Female of Year. Smokie Norful also earned two with a Male Vocalist of the Year win as well as Contemporary Male of the Year. Also bringing home two Stellar Statues was show co-host Vickie Winans with Female Vocalist of the Year and Music Video of the Year for her chart-topping single, “How I Got Over.” Lee Williams and the Spiritual QC’s were also winners of two awards.
The 25th Anniversary Stellar Awards Show has been hailed as the best show yet, keeping the audience on their feet with first-ever performance collaborations from legendary artists. Legendary vocalists Tremaine Hawkins, Shirley Ceasar, and Dottie Peoples appeared on stage together for a female vocal collaboration of their music, and Donnie McClurkin, Marvin Sapp, and Byron Cage also performed a male collaboration. The show also featured a piano collaboration from Smokie Norful and Richard Smallwood, and opening the show, were Hezekiah Walker with his Love Fellowship Choir and Ricky Dillard and New G with a choir collaboration.
Other show highlights include performances from BeBe and CeCe Winans performing their new hit single, “Grace;” Kirk Franklin singing a medley of hits; Crystal Aikin with “I Desire More;” Vanessa Bell Armstrong with “Good News;” Isreal Houghton performed his single “Every Prayer” with Mary Mary; and Donald Lawrence closed the show with a performance featuring the Verizon Wireless “How Sweet the Sound” winners, the Atlanta West Pentecostal Church Choir.
The 25th Stellar Gospel Music Awards show will begin airing on Feb. 23; check your local listings for airdates and times. The show will make its basic cable debut on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. Eastern on the Gospel Music Channel. For more information, visit http://www.thestellarawards.com/.
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