[LAS VEGAS, NV – Jonathan McReynolds attends the 33rd annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards at the Orleans Arena on March 24, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Earl Gibson III/Getty Images)]

Central City Productions announces the nominees in 28 categories for the 34th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards, hosted again this year by history-making artist, Kirk Franklin on Friday, March 29. Contemporary gospel artist Jonathan McReynolds leads the field of nominees this year with nine nominations. The powerhouse singer earned recognition for his work on the album “Make Room” (Entertainment One) as well as in the key categories of Artist of the Year, 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, Urban/Inspirational Single or Performance of the Year and Recorded Music Packaging of the Year. See full list of nominees below.

Don Jackson, Founder of the Stellar Awards and Chairman of Central City Productions, Inc. commented, “I am extremely excited about our 2019 Stellar Awards nominees. This year’s multiple nominations of new, established, as well as secular artists are a testament to the continued growth and success of gospel music and its appeal to a wide range of audiences across all genres. The Stellar Awards continues to be committed to celebrating the best in music that inspires and uplifts everyone.”

The Stellar Awards show taping will return to The Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Friday, March 29, 2019 and is open to the public, with ticket prices ranging from $50 – $200 at www.ticketmaster.com.

The week’s activities begin with the Stellar Awards Independent Artist Showcase, taking place on Wednesday, March 27, with winners performing at the non-televised awards pre-show ceremony. The 2019 Stellar Gospel Music Awards Pre-Show is scheduled for Thursday, March 28 to showcase non-televised award winners. Also, the Stellar Gospel Radio Awards & Showcase will be held on Friday, March 29, honoring top radio stations and announcers serving urban gospel music audiences. Tickets for each event can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com.

2018 – 2019 34th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Award Nominees

Category #1
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
– Jekalyn Carr, One Nation Under God, Lunjeal Music Group
– Jonathan McReynolds, Make Room, Entertainment One
– Maranda Curtis, Open Heaven, Red Alliance Media/Fair Trade
– Todd Dulaney, Your Great Name, Entertainment One

Category #2
SONG OF THE YEAR
– Nobody Like You Lord, Maranda Curtis & Anthony Rachel, Red Alliance Media/Fair Trade
– Not Lucky, I’m Loved, Jonathan McReynolds, Terrell Demetrius Wilson & Anna B. Warner, Entertainment One
– Won’t He Do It, Makeba Riddick, Richard Shelton & Loren Hill, RCA Inspiration (Koryn Hawthorne)
– You Know My Name (Live), Tasha Cobbs Leonard & Brenton Brown, Motown Gospel

Category #3
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
– Brian Courtney Wilson, A Great Work, Motown Gospel
– Jonathan McReynolds, Make Room, Entertainment One
– Kelontae Gavin, The Higher Experience, MBE/Tyscot
– Tye Tribbett, The Bloody Win, Motown Gospel

CATEGORY #4
ALBERTINA WALKER FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR*
– Jekalyn Carr, One Nation Under God, Lunjeal Music Group
– Koryn Hawthorne, Unstoppable, RCA Inspiration
– Maranda Curtis, Open Heaven, Red Alliance Media/Fair Trade
– Tasha Page-Lockhart, The Beautiful Project, RCA Inspiration/Fo Yo Soul Recordings
– Tori Kelly, Hiding Place, Schoolboy/Capitol

CATEGORY #5
DUO/CHORUS GROUP OF THE YEAR
– Donald Lawrence & Tri-City, Goshen 432 Hz, RCA Inspiration
– Isaiah D. Thomas and Elements of Praise, Still Here, Murchison Motion Pictures
– Judah Band, Gone Fishin’, Light Records
– The Walls Group, The Other Side, RCA Inspiration/Fo Yo Soul Recordings

CATEGORY #6
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
– Cheryl Thomas Fortune, Simply Cheryl, LuDawn/Tyscot
– Jabari Johnson, Day of Redemption, Entertainment One
– Phil Thompson, My Worship, Phil Thompson Worship/JamesTown
– PJ Morgan, The Transparency Project, IDMV Music Group

CATEGORY #7 CD OF THE YEAR
– Bible of Love, Snoop Dogg, RCA Inspiration
– Make Room, Jonathan McReynolds, Entertainment One
– Open Heaven, Maranda Curtis, Red Alliance Media/Fair Trade
– Your Great Name, Todd Dulaney, Entertainment One

CATEGORY #8 CHOIR OF THE YEAR
– Bishop Noel Jones & City of Refuge Sanctuary Choir, Run to the Altar, JH/Tyscot
– Dexter Walker & Zion Movement, Hope, IndieBlu Music
– The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, I Am Reminded: Live!, Brooklyn Tabernacle Music
– Vincent Tharpe and Kenosis, Super Excited, Empty Me Entertainment

CATEGORY #9 PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
– Jonathan McReynolds & Darryl “Lil Man” Howell, Make Room, Entertainment One
– Kirk Franklin, Ronald Hill, Phil Thornton, Clifton Lockhart, Tasha Page Lockhart, Myron Butler, Dontaniel
Kimbrough, Zeek Listenbee, Cordell Walton, Edward “6Mile JP” Page, Charles “Ollie” Harris, Daniel Bryant, Bryan
Popin & AyRon Lewis, The Beautiful Project, RCA Inspiration/Fo Yo Soul Recordings
– Kirk Franklin, Ronald Hill, Warryn Campbell and Phil Thornton, The Other Side, RCA Inspiration/Fo Yo Soul
Recordings (The Walls Group)
– Todd Dulaney & Dontaniel Jamel Kimbrough, Your Great Name, Entertainment One

CATEGORY #10
CONTEMPORARY DUO/CHORUS GROUP OF THE YEAR
– Donald Lawrence & Tri-City, Goshen 432 Hz, RCA Inspiration
– God’s Chosen, God’s Chosen, Dream Label Group/Dream Gospel/GFavored Entertainment/Capitol Christian
– Judah Band, Gone Fishin’, Light Records
– The Walls Group, The Other Side, RCA Inspiration/Fo Yo Soul Recordings

CATEGORY #11
TRADITIONAL DUO/CHORUS GROUP OF THE YEAR
– Gospel Legends, Resting Easy, Humility Music Group
– Jarrell Smalls & Company, A New Season, Southern Wave/Get Ready/SRT
– Keith “Wonderboy” Johnson, Keep Pushin, Wonder Spirit/SRT/Shanachie
– Nu Tradition, Nu Tradition, Altmo Productions

CATEGORY #12
CONTEMPORARY MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
– Jonathan McReynolds, Make Room, Entertainment One
– Kelontae Gavin, The Higher Experience, MBE/Tyscot
– Todd Dulaney, Your Great Name, Entertainment One
– Tye Tribbett, The Bloody Win, Motown Gospel

CATEGORY #13
TRADITIONAL MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
– Earnest Pugh, Survive, EPM/Black Smoke
– Jarrell Smalls, A New Season, Southern Wave/Get Read/SRT
– Keith “Wonderboy” Johnson, Keep Pushin, Wonder Spirit/SRT/Shanachie
– VaShawn Mitchell, Cross Music, Tyscot

CATEGORY #14
CONTEMPORARY FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
– Benita Jones, The Evolution, IndieBlu Music
– Koryn Hawthorne, Unstoppable, RCA Inspiration
– Tasha Page-Lockhart, The Beautiful Project, RCA Inspiration/Fo Yo Soul Recordings
– Tori Kelly, Hiding Place, Schoolboy/Capitol

CATEGORY #15
TRADITIONAL FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
– Jekalyn Carr, One Nation Under God, Lunjeal Music Group
– Maranda Curtis, Open Heaven, Red Alliance Media/Fair Trade
– Shana Wilson-Williams, Everlasting, Shana Wilson Ministries/IndieBlu
– Tammi Haddon, Bishop Noel Jones & City of Refuge Sanctuary Choir – Run to the Altar, JH/Tyscot

CATEGORY #16
CONTEMPORARY CD OF THE YEAR
– Bible of Love, Snoop Dogg, RCA Inspiration
– Make Room, Jonathan McReynolds, Entertainment One
– The Higher Experience, Kelontae Gavin, MBE/Tyscot
– Your Great Name, Todd Dulaney, Entertainment One

CATEGORY #17
TRADITIONAL CD OF THE YEAR
– A New Season, Jarrell Smalls & Company, Southern Wave/Get Ready/SRT
– One Nation Under God, Jekalyn Carr, Lunjeal Music Group
– Run to the Altar, Bishop Noel Jones & City of Refuge Sanctuary Choir, JH/Tyscot
– The River, Keion D. Henderson, Eye Light Productions

CATEGORY #18
URBAN/INSPIRATIONAL SINGLE OR PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
– Forever, Jason Nelson, RCA Inspiration
– Never Alone ft. Kirk Franklin, Tori Kelly, Schoolboy/Capitol
– Not Lucky, I’m Loved, Jonathan McReynolds, Entertainment One
– Reckless Love, Israel Houghton, RCA Inspiration

CATEGORY #19
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
– A Great Work, Matt Reed, Motown Gospel (Brian Courtney Wilson)
– For My Good, G. Randy Weston, Light Records (Judah Band)
– Won’t He Do It, Casey Cross, RCA Inspiration (Koryn Hawthorne)
– My Life, Patrick Tohill, RCA Inspiration/Fo Yo Soul Recordings (The Walls Group)

CATEGORY #20
TRADITIONAL CHOIR OF THE YEAR
– Bishop Noel Jones & City of Refuge Sanctuary Choir, Run to the Altar, JH/Tyscot
– Demetrius West & Jesus Promoters, ChoirOlogy: The Study of Choir Music, Blacksmoke Music Worldwide
– Dexter Walker & Zion Movement, Hope, IndieBlu Music
– The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, I Am Reminded: Live!, Brooklyn Tabernacle Music

CATEGORY #21
CONTEMPORARY CHOIR OF THE YEAR
– Brent Jones & the Waco Community Choir, Open Your Mouth and Say Something, JDI Records
– Dr. Alyn E. Waller Presents Fresh Anointing, Totally, Enon Music Group
– New Direction, When All God’s Children Get Together, New Haven Records
– Vincent Tharpe and Kenosis, Super Excited, Empty Me Entertainment

CATEGORY #22
INSTRUMENTAL CD OF THE YEAR
– CATEGORY OMITTED

CATEGORY #23
SPECIAL EVENT CD OF THE YEAR
– Bible of Love, Snoop Dogg, RCA Inspiration
– Evidence, Elevation Collective, Elevation Worship Records
– The Best of Fred Hammond, Fred Hammond, Verity/Sony Music
– WOW Gospel 2018, Various Artists, RCA Inspiration

CATEGORY #24
RAP HIP HOP GOSPEL CD OF THE YEAR
– BLSD, Jor’Dan Armstrong, Seaq Management
– God Knows, Flame, Clear Sight Music
– I Ain’t Preaching to the Choir, Miz Tiffany, Digistoric Music
– PRAISE, Emcee N.I.C.E., Gypsy City Music

CATEGORY #25
YOUTH PROJECT OF THE YEAR
– Christian Bolar, Speak It, BGA Music Group
– Personal Praise, We are Personal Praise, RoBabies Records
– Pure N Heart, “Be You” 15 Years Unplugged, Music2ChangeU
– The Children Speak, Hey Young World, HOLYwood Records

CATEGORY #26 QUARTET OF THE YEAR
– Gospel Legends, Resting Easy, Humility Music Group
– Jarrell Smalls & Company, A New Season, Southern Wave/Get Ready/SRT
– Keith “Wonderboy” Johnson, Keep Pushin, Wonder Spirit / SRT/Shanachie
– The Wardlaw Brothers, Stand There, TWB Records

CATEGORY #27
RECORDED MUSIC PACKAGING OF THE YEAR
– Israel Houghton, Road to DeMaskUs, RCA Inspiration
– Justin Foster, Open Heaven, Red Alliance Media/Fair Trade (Maranda Curtis)
– Keemon Leonard, Make Room, Entertainment One (Jonathan McReynolds)
– Octavious Holmes, One Nation Under God, Lunjeal Music Group (Jekalyn Carr)

CATEGORY #28
PRAISE AND WORSHIP CD OF THE YEAR
– Everlasting, Shana Wilson-Williams, Shana Wilson Ministries/IndieBlu
– Open Heaven, Maranda Curtis, Red Alliance Media/Fair Trade
– The Higher Experience, Kelontae Gavin, MBE/Tyscot
– Your Great Name, Todd Dulaney, Entertainment One
*A tie in the Albertina Walker Female Vocalist of the Year category resulted in having 5 nominees

GOSPEL RADIO OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
MAJOR MARKET OF THE YEAR
– WGRB Inspiration 1390AM, Chicago
– WNAP 1110 AM, Philadelphia
– WPZE Praise 102.5, Atlanta
– WYCA 92.3 FM WPRS-FM, Hammond/Chicago

LARGE MARKET OF THE YEAR
– WFMI-FM 100.9 FM, Virginia Beach
– WJXY 103.5 FM/93.7 FM, Myrtle Beach
– WOKB 1680AM, Orlando
– WXHL 89.1FM, Wilmington

MEDIUM MARKET OF THE YEAR
– WCGL AM 1360/FM 94.7, Jacksonville
– WPZZ 104.7 FM, Richmond
– WREJ 101.3FM, Richmond
– WTJZ Praise 104.9FM, Chesapeake

SMALL MARKET OF THE YEAR
– WDJL-AM 1000, Huntsville
– WEHA GOSPEL 88.7 & 100.3 FM, Egg Harbor
– WHBT 1410 AM & 98.3 FM, Tallahassee
– WIMG 1300AM, Ewing

INTERNET STATION OF THE YEAR
– GH3 Radio – “God’s House of Hip Hop,” http://www.gh3radio.com
– Gospel Central Radio, http://www.thegospelcentral.com
– SOAR Radio, http://soarradio.com
– uGospel Radio, http://uGospel.com

GOSPEL ANNOUNCER OF THE YEAR
– Dwight Stone, WPZE Praise 102.5, Atlanta, GA
– Linda Greenwood, WNAA 90.1 FM, Raleigh, NC
– Randi Myles, WDMK-HD2, Detroit, MI
– Sherry Mackey, WHAL 95.7, Memphis, TN