James Fortune & FIYA, BeBe and CeCe Winans Also Score Multiple Wins; Featured Performances by Host Donnie McClurkin, Deitrick Haddon, Forever Jones, The Nevel Sisters, JJ Hairston, Beverly Crawford, VaShawn Mitchell and More

The 26^th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards Airs in Syndication Beginning January 22 to March 13, and on GMC March 5

NASHVILLE, TN (January 17, 2011) – Platinum artist Marvin Sapp topped the list of winners during the 26^th Annual Stellar Gospel Music AwardS announced Saturday night during the show’s taping at Nashville’s iconic Grand Ole Opry House Theater. Sapp took home four awards, including Artist of the Year, Traditional Male of the Year, CD of the Year and Traditional CD of the Year. A highlight of the evening, his emotion-filled finale performance of his biggest hit “Never Would Have Made It” with Stellar Awards host Donnie McClurkin created an overwhelming audience response as he dedicated the night to his recently-deceased wife Dr. Malinda P. Sapp.  The Grand Ole Opry landmark was transformed into a spirit-filled sanctuary as Pastor McClurkin led the ‘congregation’ in a prayer for Sapp and provided one of the night’s biggest moments.   

“It’s great to be honored by your peers, and you do your best to give honor and glory to God,” said Sapp.  “But it’s bittersweet with my wife not here with me.”

Before introducing the performance, McClurkin added, “If it wasn’t for Pastor Marvin Sapp’s wife Malinda, this song would have never made it on the CD.”

Other top winners included James Fortune & FIYA who received two awards for Group/Duo of the Year and Contemporary CD of the Year, and presented his award to his wife who joined him on stage for standing by him while they were homeless, sleeping out of their car and expecting their third child.  James Fortune was also named Contemporary Male of the Year. Seasoned vets Bebe & Cece Winans won awards individually and collectively; the duo received the Urban Inspirational Single or Performance of the Year and Music Video of the Year awards. Bebe Winans also received the Song of the Year award while CeCe Winans was named Contemporary Female of the Year. 

Karen Clark Sheard received the first-ever Albertina Walker Female Vocalist of the Year award, presented to her by legends Shirley Caesar (former member of The Caravans) and Vickie Winans.  In addition, Serump/Psalms/Universal Music Group artist Kristina Halloway won the hotly-contested Best New Artist category.

Gospel superstar Kirk Franklin, who was honored with the Thomas A. Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award for his Haitian relief efforts, was moved to tears during an All-Star tribute of the song he wrote to benefit disaster victims “Are You Listening: A Love Song for Haiti” by his friends and colleagues.  The choir included stars CeCe Winans, Vickie Winans, Karen Clark Sheard, Marvin Sapp, Wess Morgan, Dorinda Clark Cole, Shirley Caesar, J Moss, Myron Butler, The Nevel Sisters, Byron Cage and others.  The award was presented to Franklin by Haitian-born actor Jimmy Jean-Louis (NBC’s “Heroes”).

Franklin spoke of the industry’s response to the tragedy in Haiti, saying “Gospel music — we were the first genre to come together and respond musically.”

The hand-clapping, foot-stomping revival began with star-studded red carpet arrivals featuring stars from Gospel, television and film, such as Andrae Crouch, Omari Hardwick (For Colored Girls), Meagan Good (The Game), Yvette Nicole Brown (NBC’s Community), BET’s Dr. Bobby Jones (Bobby Jones Gospel), Beth Payne, Shari Addison and Jessica Reedy from Sunday Best, Committed (winners of NBC’s “The Sing Off”), and Trin-I-Tee 5:7 as well as other notable personalities.  Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee presented Central City Productions CEO and founder of the Stellar Awards Don Jackson with a proclamation celebrating the establishment of September as national Gospel Music Heritage month.

The show was filled with stirring performances, including a heart-pumping opening performance of “Lord You’re Mighty” by JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise; Beverly Crawford brought the audience to their feet with a rendition of “It’s About Time for a Miracle;” Forever Jones masterfully sang “He Wants It All;” and Joshua’s Troop delighted the crowd with the youthful praise song, “Everybody Clap Your Hands.”  Other big performers included Voices of Destiny – 2010 Verizon Wireless “How Sweet the Sound” Choir Contest Winners, Deitrick Haddon, VaShawn Mitchell, a quartet collaboration between The Rance Allen Group, The Soul Seekers, and The Williams Brothers, and more.

The show also recognized the great accomplishments of some of Gospel’s brightest stars as Donald Lawrence received the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award and Vanessa Bell Armstrong received the Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones Legends Award. Both were lauded for their significant contributions to Gospel music which have set the bar for future generations of artists.

The 2011 Award Winners are:

ARTIST OF THE YEAR:

–          MARVIN SAPP, HERE I AM, VERITY GOSPEL MUSIC GROUP

SONG OF THE YEAR:

–          BEBE WINANS, CLOSE TO YOU – STILL, B&C/MALACO

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR:

–          BYRON CAGE, FAITHFUL TO BELIEVE, VERITY GOSPEL MUSIC GROUP

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR:

–          KAREN CLARK SHEARD, ALL IN ONE, KAREW RECORDS

GROUP/DUO OF THE YEAR:

–          JAMES FORTUNE & FIYA, ENCORE, BLACKSMOKE MUSIC WORLDWIDE

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR:

–          KRISTINA HALLOWAY, FREE, SERUM/PSALMS GROUP UNIVERSAL MUSIC CHRISTIAN GROUP

CD OF THE YEAR:

–          MARVIN SAPP, HERE I AM, VERITY GOSPEL MUSIC GROUP

CHOIR OF THE YEAR:

–          WILMINGTON CHESTER MASS CHOIR, HE’S BEEN GOOD, EMTRO GOSPEL

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR:

–          AARON LINDSEY, HERE I AM, VERITY GOSPEL MUSIC GROUP

CONTEMPORARY GROUP/DUO OF THE YEAR:

–          FOREVER JONES, GET READY, EMI GOSPEL

TRADITIONAL GROUP/DUO OF THE YEAR:

–          THE MIGHTY CLOUDS OF JOY, AT THE REVIVAL, EMI GOSPEL

CONTEMPORARY MALE OF THE YEAR:

–          JAMES FORTUNE, ENCORE, BLACKSMOKE MUSIC WORLDWIDE

TRADITIONAL MALE OF THE YEAR:

–          MARVIN SAPP, HERE I AM, VERITY GOSPEL MUSIC GROUP

CONTEMPORARY FEMALE OF THE YEAR:

–          CECE WINANS, STILL, B&C/MALACO

TRADITIONAL FEMALE OF THE YEAR:

–          LUCINDA MOORE, BLESSED, BROKEN & GIVEN, TYSCOT RECORDS/JOYFULA RECORDS

CONTEMPORARY CD OF THE YEAR:

–          JAMES FORTUNE & FIYA, ENCORE, BLACKSMOKE MUSIC WORLDWIDE

TRADITIONAL CD OF THE YEAR:

–          MARVIN SAPP, HERE I AM, VERITY GOSPEL MUSIC GROUP

URBAN/INSPIRATIONAL SINGLE OR PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR:

–          BEBE & CECE WINANS, CLOSE TO YOU – STILL, B&C/MALACO

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR:

–          BEBE & CECE WINANS, CLOSE TO YOU – STILL, B&C/MALACO

TRADITIONAL CHOIR OF THE YEAR:

–          WILMINGTON CHESTER MASS CHOIR, HE’S BEEN GOOD, EMTRO GOSPEL

CONTEMPORARY CHOIR OF THE YEAR:

–          MYRON BUTLER & LEVI, REVEALED LIVE IN DALLAS, EMI GOSPEL

SPECIAL EVENT CD OF THE YEAR:

–          VARIOUS ARTISTS, COCO BROTHER LIVE PRESENTS STAND 2010, TYSCOT RECORDS

RAP HIP HOP GOSPEL CD OF THE YEAR:

–          TRIP LEE, BETWEEN TWO WORLDS, REACH RECORDS

CHILDRENS PROJECT OF THE YEAR:

–          KINGDOM KIDS WORLDWIDE, KINGDOM KIDS WORLDWIDE VOLUME 1, HEADSTRATE ENTERTAINMENT

QUARTET OF THE YEAR:

–          THE CHRISTIAN ANGELS, BRING IT TO THE ALTAR, 4 WINDS/MALACO

RECORDED MUSIC PACKAGING OF THE YEAR:

–          DEREK BLANKS & KEN BARBOZA, BEBE & CECE WINANS – STILL, B&C/MALACO

PRAISE AND WORSHIP CD OF THE YEAR:

–          DARWIN HOBBS, DARWIN HOBBS LIVE: CHAMPION, IMAGO DEI

SPECIAL AWARDS — HONOREES

Thomas A. Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award HONOREE

Kirk Franklin

Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones Legend Award HONOREE

Vanessa Bell Armstrong

James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award HONOREE

Donald Lawrence

The 26^th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards is scheduled to air in syndication from January 22, 2011 to March 13, 2011 and air on Saturday, March 5 at 8 p.m. EST on GMC (Gospel Music Channel).

The Stellar Awards is sponsored by American Airlines, Ford Motor Company, Verizon How Sweet the Sound, Johnson & Johnson, AllState, Chevrolet, State Farm and McDonald’s.

Gospel singer and producer Canton Jones will make a special appearance at Children’s Hospital and will host a luncheon for children cancer survivors during his Jan. 29 stop in Birmingham, where he is headlining a free benefit concert at Boutwell Auditorium.

The Grammy-, Stellar- and Dove-nominated Christian recording artist will use the gift of music to minister directly to children who are fighting and surviving cancer and other illnesses. So, he will hold a mini-concert for sick patients at Children’s Hospital during his visit.

Jones is also hosting more than 300 children, some of them cancer survivors, at the Golden Corral restaurant in Center Point. The children will also be invited to walk the “Golden Carpet” at the Boutwell concert, which starts at 6 p.m.

Jones is the featured headliner in the free concert sponsored by Golden Corral restaurants to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network. He will debut songs from his newest album, Dominionaire that hits stores on Feb.1.

During the concert, Jones will make a special presentation to Kameron Hardy, a nine-year-old cancer survivor battling retinoblastoma and leukemia. Local Golden Corral restaurants have been raising money for Hardy’s surgeries to remove the cancer in his eye.

Jones headlines a slate of Birmingham-based Christian performers at the concert.

The concert event is organized by Telisa Stinson of SpecialTes, a veteran executive in the gospel music industry and talent coordinator, and by Bessie Bell, Golden Corral’s local store marketing director and CEO of Just Be Reel Marketing Agency. Aaron’s Sales and Leasing is also a sponsor of the concert.

MEDIA ADVISORY: To schedule press interviews, and arrange for photography and video sessions for the event, please contact Vickii Howell.

PHONE: (205) 566-3131 / EMAIL: vickii@avantmediacom.com

For appearances or donations contact: Bessie Bell, (205) 529-2404

Check out the Single Here

Winners are Highlighted in Red.

Artist of the Year

The fourth annual BET Honors will take place on Saturday, January 15, 2011 and will premiere on air during Black History Month on Monday, February 21st.

Actress Gabrielle Union hosts the show for the third year. The show’s star-studded lineup includes Trey Songz, Ne-yo, Lalah Hathaway, Houston’s Yolanda Adams, Keyshia Cole, Guy, Tank, Angelique Kidjo, Naturally 7, Chick Corea Quartet and the Cicely L. Tyson Concert Choir.

Some of the first presenters confirmed are Tyler Perry, Cedric the Entertainer, Anika Noni Rose, Hill Harper, Jimmie Jam and Noah Gray Cabey.

Honorees for this year include legendary actress Cicely Tyson (Theatrical Arts), Oscar award-winning actor/musician and comedian Jamie Foxx (Entertainer), supermodel/entrepreneur Iman (Service), publishing mogul Linda Johnson Rice (Media), world renowned musician/composer Herbie Hancock (Musical Arts) and accomplished historian/educator Lonnie G. Bunch (Education).

Proceeds from this year’s BET Honors  private ticket sales will be given to the Washington, D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc.

Also Read: Tyler Perry’s House Robbed

I am a lover of the word of God. As I began to truly study the word, I realized that I had been exposed to a lot of poor teaching. Preachers would teach the text and they would use their personal vocabulary to score what the writer was saying. However, when studying the bible it is important to read the word in its original language and in the correct context. These two things will totally change the face of a text. When you incorrectly translate a word and use that as the basis of your revelation; the whole revelation is skewed.

Many of us have used our own finite understanding to score divine things. We have based the revelation of who we are on truths that are skewed. Therefore, our perception of ourselves is completely off. There are those who have been coached to think a certain way because those around you read you incorrectly. It is time to break off the chains of poor labeling. The way this is achieved is through finding out the word that was originally spoken about you. Through prayer and fasting and reading the word, God will reveal Himself to you. The more you know about Him. The more you know about you. Then go back and look at the word in context. Look at what God placed in you; the gifts and talents. Then, from here, refuse to be defined as anything other than what God has called you. I deny anything that does not match what I know He has made me to be! Stay on the Path!

About the Author:Path contributing writer Calvin Walker has been writing editorial content for Path MEGAzine since 2007.  Calvin’s ability to break down the word of God with thought provoking analogies and real life analysis makes an impact on Christians seeking a closer walk with God.  An accomplished author, Walker released his debut book titled “The Gallery” early 2010.  Click here to read excerpts and purchase Walkers’ inspirational novel.  Email calvinwalkerauthor@yahoo.com

John P. Kee readies for new CD release January 18, 2011.  With a stellar career spanning well over 20 years, John P. Kee is going back to his roots with the new release, “The Legacy Project.” His latest recording harkens back to the days of incredible quartet music.

Pastor Kee has assembled some of the most recognizable and incomparable voices from Gospel and R&B, with guest appearances from Anthony Hamilton, Fred Hammond, Joe Ligon (The Mighty Clouds of Joy), Elder Rance Allen (The Rance Allen Group), and Harvey Watkins (The Canton Spirituals).

Click Here to Pre-Order and Preview the CD.

A list of performers and presenters for the 26th Annual Stellar Awards has been released!

Among the performers are Marvin Sapp, Beverly Crawford, Deitrick Haddon, the Nevels Sisters, VaShawn Mitchell, the Soul Seekers, the Williams Brothers, the Rance Allen Group, forever Jones, JJ Hairston and Joshua’s Troop.  Also performing will be an all-star choir in tribute to Kirk Franklin, and the winners of the 2010 How Sweet the Sound competition in tribute to Donald Lawrence.

Award presenters and other participants will include J Moss, Dorinda Clark Cole, Hezekiah Walker, Andrae Crouch, Vickie Winans, Lisa Page Brooks, DeWayne Woods, Wess Morgan, Myron Butler, Yvette Nicole Brown, Dr. Bobby Jones and more.

The show will be taped this Saturday in Nashville, TN, at the Grand Ole Opry House, and will air on gmc on March 5 at 8pm ET.  The program will also air in various national markets from January 22nd through March 13th.  Check your local listings!

Also Read: The 26^th Annual Stellar Awards Readies For Taping This Saturday January 15^th

This weekend Gospel’s biggest awards show convenes in Nashville, TN.  Influential Gospel singers, industry executives and entertainers will gather at the historic Grand Ole Opry hotel for what promises to be an amazing night of celebration and recognition.

The Path MEGAzine will be there for exclusive interviews and a full report on everything that’s going on.  Leading up to the Stellar awards there are pre-shows and after parties that provide networking opportunities to aspiring artist and industry execs. 

Some of those events include the official Stellar Awards Pre-Show on Friday night.  The Bonnerfied Radio Party, The Stellar Awards Red Carpet event, movie premieres and more. 

Say’s Path MEGAzine publisher Kris Patrick, “You never know who you will see at the Stellar Awards, because you wouldn’t expect some of these mainstream entertainers to be such huge fans of Gospel music.”

The event is hosted by Donnie McClurkin, and will air on GMC.  Tune-into PATH for air dates and times in your city.  Hope to see you in Nashville, anybody going?!

The Gospel Music Channel held their 4th annual GMC Music Video Awards and invited fans to select their favorites from a list of 50 nominated music videos from well known artists.  The Gospel Music Channel plays both Black Gospel and Christian Contemporary music.  I was a little surprised Whitney Houston made the list. 

Here are The top ten gospel/Christian music videos of 2010, as voted by the public:

1. You Are For Me (Kari Jobe, Integrity Music)
2. How He Loves (David Crowder Band, sixsteps Records)
3. Better Than A Hallelujah (Amy Grant, EMI CMG)
4. Love Has Come (Mark Schultz, Word/Curb/WB)
5. Born Again (Newsboys, Inpop Records)
6. My Best Days Are Ahead Of Me (Danny Gokey, Sony Music Entertainment)
7. The Invasion (Trip Lee, Reach Records)
8. For Those Who Wait (Fireflight, Provident)
9. I Look To You (Whitney Houston, Arista Records)
10. Save Me From Myself (Michael W. Smith, Provident)

The “Top 10 Videos of 2010” list was revealed recently on a special edition of GMC’s Top Spin 10 Countdown hosted by Tiffany Thorpe.

Flame‘s latest release Captured debuts atop the Billboard Top Gospel Charts this week. We believe that sets a record marking the first time two Gospel Rap albums have set atop of the Gospel sales chart.  The album also enters at #17 on the Top Rap Albums Charts and #11 on the Independent Albums Charts. Rehab from Gospel rapper Lecrae moves to the #2 position. William McDowell‘s As We Worship: Live enters this week at the #3 spot, while VaShawn Mitchell‘s Triumphant comes in at #4. I Believe: Live, the latest from James Fortune & FIYA rounds out the week’s top five albums. In other chart news, the self-titled debut release from Level 3:16 enters at #8 while Better Days from Jonathan Nelson jumps ten places to #16.

In the world of radio, “I Believe” from James Fortune & FIYA featuring Shawn McLemore and Zacardi Cortez remains atop the radio charts. “Nobody Greater” from VaShawn Mitchell enters at the #2 spot while “He Wants It All” from Forever Jones moves to the #3 position. William McDowell‘s “I Give Myself Away” takes the #4 spot while “I Choose to Worship” from Wess Morgan rounds out the week’s top five songs.