Category: News

Campbell, Dillard collect multiple Stellars during Gospel’s big weekend

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

It was a big weekend in Las Vegas at the 30th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards for Erica Campbell and Ricky Dillard. Campbell and her CD Help hauled a total of eight awards, including Artist of the Year, CD of the Year, Producer of the Year (Warryn Campbell), and Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year. Dillard took home four trophies, two of which for Song of the Year (“Amazing”) and Choir of the Year.


The Walls Group also left Gospel’s big night with a pair of Stellars; along with Deitrick Haddon’s League of Xtraordinary Worshippers; and Lisa Knowles and The Brown Singers, who captured wins for Traditional Group/Duo of the Year and Quartet of the Year.

Check out the full list of winners at uGospel.com. The awards show will be televised April 5, 2015, on TVOne.

Bishop F.C. Barnes named as 2015 inductee into NC Music Hall of Fame

Bishop F.C. Barnes is one of eight artists to be inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame for 2015.

Bishop Barnes is recognized nationally for his homespun style of gospel music and particularly for his 1983 chart-topping hit with Rev. Janice Brown, “Rough Side of the Mountain.” The song boosted the duo’s album sales past 500,000 units.

The singer, songwriter, and preacher was also the founder Red Budd Holy Church, which he pastored for 52 years until his demise in 2011 (see “Bishop, singer, and patriarch Barnes has passed”).

The induction ceremony is set for October 15, 2015, at Gem Theater in Kannapolis, NC.  Tickets will go on sale this summer at the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame Museum.  Others in the 2015 class of inductees are Gerald Alston, Nappy Brown, Eric Church, The Fantastic Shakers, Warren Haynes, Chuck Jackson, and Jay Spell.

Update (10/14/15 at 8:17 PM) – As of the date and time noted, there are still a few tickets available for the induction ceremony.  Click here to purchase them online.

James Dixon to celebrate birthday with musical – April 4

James Dixon loves God and good gospel music–so much so that he’s going all out this year for his birthday and wants you to join him.

The former drummer for the Sensational Nightingales and current lead singer of James Dixon and Company invites you to his birthday musical which features The Joy Bells, Jennifer Baker, The Richardson Brothers, and others.

Saturday, April 4, 2015
6 PM
Mt. Calvary Baptist Church
1012 East Hanover Road
Graham, NC
Free Admission (love offering will be taken)

Luther Barnes inks exclusive recording deal with SRT Entertainment

From D.A. Johnson


(Flowood, MS)  SRT Entertainment is proud to announce the signing of Grammy Award nominated, Stellar Award winning producer, artist, songwriter Luther Barnes to an exclusive recording agreement.

Luther Barnes brings his very successful solo career as well as his Sunset Jubilaires, Red Budd Gospel Choir and Barnes Family Reunion brands to the label.

Luther Barnes, son of “Mr. Rough Side Of The Mountain” the late great Bishop F. C. Barnes, has forged his own place and has made his own mark in the history of Gospel music. Cherished as one of the greatest balladeers of all time in any genre (urban, gospel, or blues), Luther Barnes has enjoyed airplay and sales  success with his many styles of gospel recorded albums from  quartet, choir, praise & worship to contemporary.


As a producer and songwriter, Luther Barnes has produced and penned timeless classics such as “I’m Still Holding On,” “So Satisfied,” and the Grammy nominated, Stellar winning “It’s Your Time,” Stellar nominated “Somehow Someway” and “You Keep On Blessing Me,” which was a Top 10 Billboard Gospel Song and experienced crossover success into the Urban mainstream, receiving airplay on Urban AC stations around the country. 


And just when you think he couldn’t get any better, continuing his family lineage, Luther Barnes has accepted the pastoral call on his life and is the senior pastor and founder of Restoration Worship Center in Rocky Mount, NC.

Virtue joins Pres. Obama and others in concert commemorating Selma March this Sunday

From Jason Hardy


Grammy-nominated sister trio Virtue joins President Obama, Tamar Braxton, Harry Belafonte, Kirk Franklin, Doug E. Fresh and more to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Selma with an All-Star Concert set to stream online live this Sunday, March 8, 2015 on BET.COM and CentricTV.com at 5pm ET, hosted by AJ Calloway.


Centric/BET Networks, in partnership with the Selma-to-Montgomery 50th Commemoration Foundation, will present a historical and all-star celebration concert that will honor those who stood up for freedom, equal rights, and the right to vote.


The concert will be held on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where the original march took place in 1965, and will feature performances by Aloe Blacc, Anthony Hamilton, Arrested Development, Bebe Winans, Fantasia, Bell Biv DeVoe, D-Nice, Donnie McClurkin, Eddie Levert, Eric Benet, Flavor Flav, Keith Sweat, Kelly Price, MC Lyte, Rick Ross,Tank, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Tyrese, and Vanilla Ice.


President Obama will deliver a civil rights speech and Harry Belafonte and Peter Yarrow (two original Selma marchers), Bill Withers, Cicely Tyson, Malcolm Jamal Warner, and Tom Joyner are slated to make appearances.

With Grammy, Dove, and Stellar Award nominations, over 500K in career sales, five recorded studio albums, and signature hits like “Get Ready,” “Put Your War Clothes On,” “Til’ You Believe,” “Lord, I Lift My Hands,” and “Follow Me,” Virtue is back on the music scene after a 10-year recording hiatus with their new rising radio single “You Are.”

Habakkuk teams with Central City to release Stellar Awards 30th anniversary CD

From Bill Carpenter


Habakkuk Music has announced a historic partnership with Central City Productions to release a special compilation album celebrating the 30th anniversary of The Stellar Gospel Music Awards. The highly anticipated album, Stellar Awards 30th Anniversary 1985-2015, (Habakkuk Music) releases March 31, 2015.
 
The first Stellar Gospel Music Awards television broadcast took place at the Arie Crown Theater in Chicago in 1985, and this year’s landmark program takes place at The Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. The collector’s edition album will feature an array of chart-topping tracks by fifteen of the most legendary names to ever stand on a Stellar Awards stage and sing the praises of God. The final track will be announced in the coming weeks.
 
The Stellar Gospel Music Awards show is executive produced by Don Jackson and produced by Barbara Wilson for Central City Productions (CCP). Founded in 1970 by Don Jackson, the Chicago-based Central City Productions is a distributor of original targeted programming to television and cable networks. CCP’s award-winning television programs include The Stellar Gospel Music Awards, The Trumpet Awards, The Black College Quiz Show Series, Hispanic College Quiz, Our World with Black Enterprise and Women of Power, among others.


Founded in 2007, Habakkuk Music is distributed by UMG and IN grooves (a division of Isolation Network, Inc.) and has released gospel music by brilliant artists such as Lisa Page Brooks, Earl Bynum & The Mount Unity Choir, Kevin Levar, Cheneta Jones, Papa San, The Temple of Deliverance Women’s Choir and others. Habakkuk Music, Inc. (d/b/a HBK Media) has successfully formed marketing relationships with organizations such as the American Heart Association | American Stroke Association, Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores and Rejoice Radio Network, among others.

BeBe and CeCe to be inducted in GMA Gospel Hall of Fame

Congratulations to BeBe and CeCe Winans, who are among this year’s inductees into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame.  The honors ceremony will be held May 5, 2015, at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena in Nashville. Bishop Paul Morton, Founding Bishop of the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International and noted singer/recording artist, will also be honored.

Read more here: Gospel Music Association Announces Hall of Fame Inductees & Honorees

Gospel winners announced at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards

Congratulations to the gospel winners at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards, announced last evening (February 8, 2015) in Los Angeles.

Best Gospel Performance/Song
“No Greater Love” – Smokie Norful
Written by Aaron W. Lindsey and Smokie Norful 

Best Contemporary Christian Performance/Song
“Messengers” – Lecrae featuring For King & Country
Written by Torrance Esmond, Ran Jackson, Ricky Jackson, Kenneth Chris Mackey,
Lecrae Moore, Joseph Prielozny, Joel Smallbone and Luke Smallbone
 
Best Gospel Album
Help – Erica Campbell

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
Run Wild. Live Free. Love Strong. – For King & Country 

Best Roots Gospel Album
Shine For All The People – Mike Farris

Nominees for 30th Annual Stellar Awards announced; Campbell, Dillard lead nominations

Nominees for the 30th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards were announced today (January 13). Erica Campbell and Ricky Dillard and New G lead the list of multiple nominations with 10 each.  Check out the full list here.

This year’s awards show moves to the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas and will be taped for telecast on March 28, 2015. Comedian/actor David Mann and wife, Stellar winner Tamela Mann will share hosting duties with comedian/actor/radio personality Rickey Smiley.

Industry giants Andraé Crouch and Al “The Bishop” Hobbs will be honored posthumously with the Dr. Bobby Jones Legends Award. Bishop Paul Morton and President Barack Obama are set to receive the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award and the Thomas A. Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award, respectively.

Tickets for the taping are available at www.orleansarena.com.  The official site for the Stellar Awards is www.thestellarawards.com.

Congrats to all nominees and honorees.

www.thestellarawards.com#sthash.eivo5Ged.dpuf
(www.orleansarena.com#sthash.Kudos to all nominees and honorees.

Film First releases trailer for forthcoming Mavis Staples documentary

Film First has released a trailer for its forthcoming doc film, Mavis!  The movie is directed by Jessica Edwards, founder of the independent film production and media company based in Brooklyn, NY.

According to its site, Mavis! is a feature-length documentary chronicling the music career of Mavis Staples and the Staple Singers. It will premiere in March 2015 at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, TX.

Watch the trailer here: Mavis! Exclusive