On the biggest night in Gospel music, Tamela Mann’s star shined brightest at the 29th Annual Stellar Gospel Awards where she was honored seven times during the show’s live taping at Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium. Mann won “Artist of the Year,” “Albertina Walker Vocalist of the Year,” “CD of the Year,” “Traditional Female of the Year,” “Traditional CD of the Year,” “Urban Inspirational Single or Performance of the Year” and “Praise & Worship CD of the Year.”
Proving that Mann’s massive hit “Take Me to the King” was truly the year’s best record. it also won “Song of the Year” honors for Kirk Franklin. In an intimate moment at a luncheon for the 29th Annual Stellar Awards, Franklin acknowledged that after several years of strife between he and Mann, the songwriter sought to heal old wounds when he offered his services to Mann, his childhood friend since age 15. Franklin, Mann and her now husband David, first attained music fame together as Kirk Franklin & The Family in the 90’s.
Gospel newcomer Tasha Cobbs won “Contemporary CD of the Year,” “Contemporary Female of the Year” and “New Artist of the Year.” Hezekiah Walker walked away with three awards and tied Cobbs as the second most honored artist of the evening. Fred Hammond, John P. Kee and Anthony Brown were the only other artists to earn multiple Stellar Awards, each receiving two. Recognized for both individual and group success, Brown won “Contemporary Male of the Year and Group/Duo of the Year” with Kee winning “Traditional Male of the Year” and “Traditional Group/Duo of the Year.” In a surprise twist, Tye Tribbett bested both Brown and Kee by snagging “Male Vocalist of the Year” honors. Kee performs with New Life and Brown with Group Therapy, which shared the Group/Duo awards with their front-men.
Spirited and engaging, Sherri Shepherd (“The View”) and Rickey Smiley (“Dish Nation”) added just the right comedic flare during the 2-hour live broadcast aired on the Up Network. On the live show, ten awards were handed out. As a part of the pre-show activities, 28 additional awards were announced during ceremonies held on Friday and Saturday. All Stellar winners are selected by online voters.
Power and praise were on full display from the evening’s opening performance at the 29th Annual Stellar Awards as Hezekiah Walker & The Love Fellowship Choir brought the house down. One commanding performance begot another as Anthony Brown & Group Therapy and Donald Lawrence & Company inspired the capacity audience and “SONG TITLE” by Issac Carree & P.S.A.L.M.S..
Joining forces for the quartet collaboration, The Canton Spirituals, The Gospel Legends and The Wardlaw Brothers; Erica Campbell, Jekalyn Carr, Latice Crawford and Lexi . The men united, Jonathan McReynolds, Jonathan Nelson, VaShawn Mitchell and Zacardi Cortez. Shirley Caesar, Tasha Cobbs, and Kirk Franklin all delivered passionate performances to the delight of the full-to-capacity crowd.
Annually The Stellar Awards recognizes the accomplishments of Gospel music icons and individuals instrumental in advocating for Gospel music. Hezekiah Walker received the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award for his accomplishments and was honored in song. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, received the Thomas A. Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award for her career accomplishments on Capitol Hill.
This year’s celebration began with Tye Tribbett hosting a live stream of the star-studded red carpet arrivals that featured Gospel greats, television, film and political luminaries such as to list only a few.
The 29th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards will air in nationwide syndication from January 18, 2014 to March 2, 2014.
(Photos credited to Linximages)
The 2014 Award Winners are:
AT&T ARTIST OF THE YEAR
TAMELA MANN, BEST DAYS, TILLYMAN MUSIC
FORD’S SONG OF THE YEAR
KIRK FRANKLIN, TAKE ME TO THE KING – BEST DAYS, TILLYMAN MUSIC
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
TYE TRIBBETT, GREATER MAN, MOTOWN GOSPEL
ALBERTINA WALKER FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
TAMELA MANN, BEST DAYS, TILLYMAN MUSIC
GROUP/DUO OF THE YEAR
ANTHONY BROWN & GROUP THERAPY, ANTHONY BROWN & GROUP THERAPY, TYSCOT MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
TASHA COBBS, GRACE, EMI GOSPEL (MOTOWN GOSPEL)
CD OF THE YEAR
TAMELA MANN, BEST DAYS, TILLYMAN MUSIC
CHOIR OF THE YEAR
HEZEKIAH WALKER, AZUSA: THE NEXT GENERATION, RCA INSPIRATION
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
FRED HAMMOND & DEREK “DC” CLARK, UNITED TENORS HAMMOND HOLLISTER ROBERSON WILSON, RCA INSPIRATION
CONTEMPORARY GROUP/DUO OF THE YEAR
FRED HAMMOND UNITED TENORS, UNITED TENORS HAMMOND HOLLISTER ROBERSON WILSON, RCA INSPIRATION
TRADITIONAL GROUP/DUO OF THE YEAR
JOHN P. KEE AND NEW LIFE, LIFE & FAVOR, KEE MUSIC GROUP
CONTEMPORARY MALE OF THE YEAR
ANTHONY BROWN, ANTHONY BROWN & GROUP THERAPY, TYSCOT MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT
TRADITIONAL MALE OF THE YEAR
JOHN P. KEE, LIFE & FAVOR, KEE MUSIC GROUP
CONTEMPORARY FEMALE OF THE YEAR
TASHA COBBS, GRACE, EMI GOSPEL (MOTOWN GOSPEL)
TRADITIONAL FEMALE OF THE YEAR
TAMELA MANN, BEST DAYS, TILLYMAN MUSIC
CONTEMPORARY CD OF THE YEAR
TASHA COBBS, GRACE, EMI GOSPEL (MOTOWN GOSPEL)
TRADITIONAL CD OF THE YEAR
TAMELA MANN, BEST DAYS, TILLYMAN MUSIC
URBAN/INSPIRATIONAL SINGLE OR PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
TAMELA MANN, TAKE ME TO THE KING – BEST DAYS, TILLYMAN MUSIC
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR – SHORT FORMAT
BRAND X, TESTIMONY – ANTHONY BROWN & GROUP THERAPY, TYSCOT MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT
TRADITIONAL CHOIR OF THE YEAR
HEZEKIAH WALKER, AZUSA: THE NEXT GENERATION, RCA INSPIRATION
CONTEMPORARY CHOIR OF THE YEAR
EARL BYNUM & THE MOUNT UNITY CHOIR, BISHOP K.W. BROWN PRESENTS EARL BYNUM & THE MOUNT UNITY CHOIR, K.W. BROWN MINISTRIES
SPECIAL EVENT CD OF THE YEAR
HEZEKIAH WALKER, AZUSA: THE NEXT GENERATION, RCA INSPIRATION
RAP HIP HOP GOSPEL CD OF THE YEAR
LECRAE, GRAVITY, REACH RECORDS
CHILDRENS PROJECT OF THE YEAR
JEKALYN CARR, GREATER IS COMING, LUNJEAL/MALACO
QUARTET OF THE YEAR
DOC MCKENZIE & THE HI-LITES, BLESSED, OPHIR ENTERTAINMENT
RECORDED MUSIC PACKAGING OF THE YEAR
PATRICK DOPSON, BEST DAYS, TILLYMAN MUSIC
PRAISE AND WORSHIP CD OF THE YEAR
TAMELA MANN, BEST DAYS, TILLYMAN MUSIC
