Category: News

Winners of 2018 Rejoice Awards announced; Nancy Wilson recipient of Legend Award

By Libra Boyd
 
Awardees Nancy Wilson and Duncan Butler
Nancy Carree Wilson and Duncan Butler

Congratulations to the winners and honorees announced at the 2018 Rejoice Awards, held Saturday, April 14, at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro, NC.

Pastor and singer Nancy Carree Wilson was celebrated with this year’s Legend Award.  Her résumé includes recordings with Bishop Larry Trotter & Sweet Holy Spirit and Pastor Debra Morton & the Women of Excellence Choir.  In 2004, she released her own project–recorded live at Chicago’s Sweet Holy Spirit Church–entitled, Nancy Wilson – Designed for Worship.  Additionally, Pastor Wilson, whose son Isaac Carree also enjoys success as a gospel recording artist, was a host of the long-running weekly regional television show, “Gospel Expo.”  In 1994, the songstress and media personality became pastor of Greensboro’s New Beginnings Community Outreach Church.


Singer/pianist/songwriter Duncan Butler got double trophy love Saturday afternoon.  He walked away with a pair of glass trophies for the Artist of the Year and Contemporary categories. 
 
The Rejoice Awards is produced by Unwind Communications Outreach Network (UCON) and The UCON Alliance of Gospel Music Professionals to recognize the accomplishments of local and regional gospel artists, media, and legends for their contributions to gospel music and the community.  For more information about UCON, visit http://ucontalent.wixsite.com/ucon.  The complete list of awardees is as follows:


 Praise and Worship
Kendall McDowell and RAW

 Traditional
Charity Davis

 Contemporary
Duncan Butler

 Urban
Mike Teezy

 Quartet
FOCUS

 Instrumental 
Gregory Amos

 Media
Tony Welborne
WNAA 90.1 FM

 Legend
Nancy Carree Wilson

 Artist of the Year
Duncan Butler

WNCU announcer Carolyn Ryals to be honored with appreciation musical – April 8

Carolyn Pettiford-Ryals, longtime on-air personality at WNCU 90.7 FM, will be honored with an appreciation program this Sunday, April 8, 2018.  The event will take place at Durham’s Lakeview Baptist Church on 3411 Dearborn Drive.   


This year marks Ryal’s 20th as a gospel announcer on North Carolina Central University’s campus radio station.  She, along with “Country Boy” Walter Hatcher, alternate hosting duties Sunday mornings on the “Hallelujah Praise” show.


The appreciation service starts at 4 PM and will include both music and spoken word tributes.

2018 Stellar Awards Winners and Honorees

GMF congratulates all of the winners and honorees at the 33rd Annual Stellar Awards. The complete list of this year’s winners is available here.  


In addition to this year’s winners, honorees were Tamela Mann, who accepted the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award; the late Bishop Kenneth Moales, Sr., who was honored with a posthumous Thomas A. Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award; and Rev. Milton Biggham, who received the Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones Legends Award.  The life and legacy of the late Rev. Edwin Hawkins (d. January 15, 2018) was celebrated with a posthumous Edwin Hawkins Icon Award, accepted by his sister, Lynette Hawkins Stephens. 


Also lauded were this year’s Stellar Honors Hall of Fame inductees: Ben Tankard, Dr. Marabeth Gentry, and Kurt Carr.

The 33rd Stellar Awards broadcast will premiere Friday, March 30, at 9 PM EST on TVOne, and will air in broadcast syndication around the country from March 31 through May 6, 2018.  Check your local listings for air dates and times. 

Winans wins pair of trophies at 60th Annual Grammy Awards

Congratulations to gospel and CCM’s winners at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, announced last evening (January 28, 2018) in Los Angeles.  


Best Gospel Performance/Song 
“Never Have to Be Alone” – CeCe Winans
Written by CeCe Winans, Dwan Hill, and Alvin Love III

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
“What A Beautiful Name” – Hillsong Worship
Written by Ben Fielding and Brooke Ligertwood

Best Gospel Album
Let Them Fall In Love– CeCe Winans

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
Chain Breaker– Zach Williams

Best Roots Gospel Album
Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope– Reba McEntire


Winans celebrated her wins from Nashville Life Church in Tennessee, where she and her husband Alvin Love are pastors. 


A post shared by CeCe Winans (@cecewinans) on

See the full list of 2018 Grammy Award winners here.

Hawkins’ ‘Oh Happy Day’ returns to Billboard charts at #1

A week after the death of four-time Grammy® Award-winning recording artist, Edwin Hawkins, The Edwin Hawkins Singers’ 1969 million-seller, “Oh Happy Day,” has charted at #1 on Billboard Magazine’s Gospel Digital Song Sales chart for the issue week ending January 27, 2018.  The classic song had a 999% sales increase following worldwide news coverage of the celebrated artist’s passing from cancer last week.
In recent months, Hawkins and his management team had begun to plan activities surrounding the 50th anniversary of “Oh Happy Day,” which was recorded in 1968 and then spread to radio airwaves everywhere in the spring of 1969.  This coming August will also mark Hawkins’ 75th birthday.  The Hawkins Family will honor the man and his music during a two-day “Celebration of Life” at The Harbor Life Church, 4760 Thornton Avenue, Fremont, CA 94536, on February 6 and 7.  The services will begin at 7 PM PT each evening.  The public is invited to attend the celebration and admission is free of charge. The events will stream live on Mr. Hawkins’ Facebook page: Iamedwinhawkins.


Some of gospel’s brightest stars will perform classics from Hawkins’ vast catalogue, ranging from “Worship the Lord” to “Imagine Heaven.” The luminaries performing either night are Donnie McClurkin, Marvin Winans, Bebe Winans, Beverly Crawford, Anita Wilson, LaShun Pace, Ted Winn, Melonie Daniels-Walker, Chrystal Rucker, BSlade, Chrystal Rucker, Minister Carole King, Tibari, and Bishop Yvette Flunder.


Donald Lawrence is supervising the music and Edwin Hawkins’ music director, Derrick Hall, is the bandleader. Kurt Carr and Ricky Dillard are guest choir directors. Jonathan Grier and Rusty Watson, the longtime musical director of the Love Center Choir, will direct the bulk of the choir vocals. There will also be a reunion of the original Edwin Hawkins Singers, as well as, an appearance by The New Edwin Hawkins Singers and the Dream Team. Speakers will include Stellar Gospel Music Awards founder, Don Jackson; Bishop Carlton Pearson; Dr. Mary Beth Gentry; and music legend, Richard Smallwood.
There has been an outpouring of condolences from members of the music community, including Neil Portnow, the President and CEO of The Recording Academy.  In a written statement, Portnow said, 

Edwin Hawkins was a celebrated recording artist recognized as a founder of modern gospel music.  He earned 19 GRAMMY nominations between 1969 and 1996, winning his first award for Best Soul Gospel Performance for `Oh Happy Day,’ the crossover hit that solidified his status as a leading force in gospel music.  He earned three more GRAMMY Awards® during his career in the Best Soul Gospel Performance and Best Gospel Album By A Choir Or Chorus categories.  Edwin’s contributions to the contemporary Christian genre and commitment to music celebrating religious faith will continue to inspire both artists and audiences for years to come. Our thoughts go out to Edwin’s family and collaborators during this difficult time.

– Press release

Anthony Brown & group therAPy receives 10 nominations for 2018 Stellar Awards

CHICAGO, Jan. 17, 2018 / PRNewswire — Central City Productions announces the nominees in 28 categories for the 33rd Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards, hosted again this year by history-making artist Kirk Franklin on Saturday, March 24. Contemporary gospel group Anthony Brown & group therAPy leads the field of nominees this year with ten nominations. The group earned recognition for its work on the album A Long Way From Sunday (Key of A/Fair Trade/Tyscot Records) in the categories of Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, CD of the Year, Duo/Chorus Group of the Year, Producer of the Year, Contemporary Duo/Chorus Group of the Year, Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year, Contemporary CD of the Year, and Urban/Inspirational Single or Performance of the Year.
With nine nominations each, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, J.J. Hairston & Youthful Praise, and Travis Greene demonstrate excellence in the field as recognized by the Stellar Awards voting body.  Cobbs Leonard is nominated in the categories of Artist of the Year, Albertina Walker Female Vocalist of the Year, CD of the Year, and Producer of the Year, among others for her work on Heart. Passion. Pursuit. (Motown Gospel).  J.J. Hairston & Youthful Praise are nominated in the Artist of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, CD of the Year, and Choir of the Year categories, among their nine nods for the group’s work on You Deserve It (JamesTown Music/Entertainment One).  Greene continues to rise in the gospel genre, earning nominations this year in the top categories of Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, CD of the Year, and Producer of the Year for his work on Crossover Live in Music City (RCA Inspiration).   
With five nominations each, veterans Deitrick Haddon and Ricky Dillard demonstrate their staying power in gospel music, representing contemporary and traditional gospel, respectively. Haddon is nominated for Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year, Contemporary Duo/Chorus of the Year, Contemporary CD of the Year, Duo/Group Chorus of the Year, and Producer of the Year for Deitrick Haddon & Hill City Worship Camp (Entertainment One).  Dillard’s nominations come in the categories of Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year, Traditional CD of the Year, Traditional Choir of the Year, Choir of the Year, and Recorded Music Packaging of the Year.
Other artists earning multiple nominations include Marvin Sapp, The Williams Brothers, CeCe Winans, The Rance Allen Group, Bishop Paul S. Morton, Tina Campbell, and Le’Andria Johnson.


See the complete list of nominees here. 
The Stellar Awards show taping will return to The Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 24, 2018, and is open to the public, with ticket prices ranging from $50 to $200 at www.ticketmaster.com.

The weekend of activities begins with the Stellar Awards Independent Artist & Quartet Showcase, taking place on Thursday, March 22, with winners performing at the non-televised awards pre-show ceremony.  The 2018 Stellar Gospel Music Awards Pre-Show is scheduled for Friday, March 23, to showcase non-televised award winners.  Also, the Stellar Gospel Radio Awards & Showcase will be held on Saturday, March 24, honoring top radio stations and announcers serving urban gospel music audiences. Tickets for each event can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com.

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