7th Annual Avidity Awards set for October 13-15

7th Annual Avidity Awards graphic

Memphis, TN – The nominees have been announced, and the date for the annual celebration honoring excellence in independent Gospel music has been set! The 7th Annual Avidity Awards is coming to Memphis, Tennessee, for the show’s live taping on Friday, October 14, 2022, at the Halloran Centre for Performing Arts and Education.  The exciting weekend of events will include an emphasis on mental health awareness in the Black community and the forthcoming launch of Avidity TV. The Avidity Awards celebrate the accomplishments of independent artists and artists signed to an independent record label. This night of excellence boasts a production that has a reach extending to non-traditional gospel audiences.  The Avidity Awards will assemble an array of independent gospel music artists, groups, and spiritual leaders on one stage for an explosive evening of great performances and excitement! 

Leading this year’s nominations is award-winning choirmaster Zak Williams (& 1AKORD) of Philadelphia, PA.  Williams has five nominations – Community Choir of the Year, Choir Director of the Year, and Artist of the Year, all stemming from his Billboard chart-topping single, “Jehovah Jireh,” which is also in the running for Song of the Year.

Kim Person, a multiple 2021 Avidity Award nominee, has received four nominations this year for Artist of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, and Song of the Year, all derived from her #1 Billboard Gospel Indicator Chart single, “Wonderful.”  Other artists with several nominations for this year’s Avidity Awards are Cardell Booker and Michael Dixon, who received three nominations each. For the complete list of the 2022 nominees, click here.

The 7th Annual Avidity Awards will feature performances by Robyn McGhee, Dr. James Mable, Jr., Kim Person, Cardell Booker, Gia Wyre, Lamont Sanders, The Exciting Holy Sons, and others to be announced at a later date.

“There’s very little doubt that gospel music has been tremendously influenced and enhanced by the creative genius of independent artists,” says Derrick Huggins, Founder and CEO of The Elite Gospel Music & Ministry Academy (TEGMMA) and Avidity TV. “This has especially been the case since the inception of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Avidity Awards will continue to amplify the gospel through musical expressions emanating from our outstanding community of independent artists.” 

The hosts for the show are Aldren McClullar, social media influencer of “The Aldren Brand,” and social media influencer Marquis Jelks of “Church Stuff.”  In addition to the main awards show event, attendees can enjoy the official Pre-Show Indie Artist Showcase with hosts Hasan James (Root Magazine), and recording artists Michelle Prather and Dr. James Mable, Jr., and the Indie Artist Help Desk. 

The Avidity Awards are presented by Avidity TV in conjunction with Avidity Media Group.

37th Stellar Awards winners announced; Pastor Mike Jr. earns six

Pastor Mike Jr. won six trophies at the 37th Stellar Awards

(CHICAGO) July 19, 2022 — The Stellar Gospel Music Awards celebrated its 37th year honoring excellence in Gospel music during an uplifting weekend of events, concluding with the live-taped ceremony on Saturday, July 16, at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia. Hosted by Stellar Award-winning artists Jekalyn Carr and Kierra Sheard, this year’s celebration will premiere Sunday, August 7, at 8 PM ET/PT on BET, BET Her, and BET International and will be syndicated in various local markets across the country between August 13 and September 11, 2022.

Pastor Mike, Jr. leads the list of winners with a total of six Stellar Awards, including Artist of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Contemporary Male Artist of the Year, Contemporary Album of the Year, and Urban/Inspirational Single or Performance of the Year, as well as Album of the Year for I Got It: Single’s Ministry Vol. 1. CeCe Winans won three Stellar Awards, including Producer of the Year, Praise and Worship Album of the Year, and Praise and Worship Song of the Year, all tied to the album Believe For It. Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music received three awards for their collaboration, Jonny x Mali: Live in L.A. EP, including Duo/Chorus Group of the Year, Contemporary Duo/Chorus Group of the Year, and Special Event Album of the Year.

Other notable winners during the 37th Stellar Gospel Music Awards include Tamela Mann and Ricky Dillard, both of whom received two Stellar Awards, with Dillard also receiving the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award Presented by Toyota in recognition of his contributions to Gospel music as a renowned choir leader and recording artist. In addition, four-time nominee E. Dewey Smith was named Best New Artist for his 2021 album, God Period.

The 37th Stellar Gospel Music Awards features showstopping performances by Kirk Franklin, Erica Campbell, Maverick City Music, Marvin Sapp, Tye Tribbett, Le’Andria Johnson, Koryn Hawthorne, Brian Courtney Wilson, Jor’Dan Armstrong, Doe, Rudy Currence, Chrisette Michele, Darrel Walls, James Fortune and more.

The Stellar Gospel Music Awards also bestows special honors to industry titans who continue creating a legacy of excellence that reaches and influences the masses, both within and outside of the Gospel genre. Six-time GRAMMY® Award-winning hitmaker and producer Aaron Lindsey received the Aretha Franklin Icon Award Presented by Aflac. Candi Staton also received the Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones Legends Award, an honor that reflects her career of nearly seven decades as a music pioneer and a captivating Gospel music artist.

Top nominees for this year’s ceremony included CeCe Winans, who led the field with nine nominations, followed by Pastor Mike, Jr., who received eight nominations. Tamela Mann, Jonathan McReynolds & Mali Music, and Todd Dulaney all received six nominations. Kelontae Gavin received five nominations. Maverick City Music, Israel Houghton, Ricky Dillard, E. Dewey Smith, and Jason Clayborn received four nominations each.

The 37th Stellar Gospel Music Awards is proud to be presented this year by AT&T Dream in Black. This year’s sponsors also include Procter & Gamble (P&G), Walmart, State Farm, Toyota, McDonald’s – Black & Positively Golden, and Aflac. The 37th Stellar Gospel Music Awards is also proud to partner with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

For additional updates, follow The Stellar Awards on social media — @thestellars on Instagram and Twitter, and Stellar Gospel Music Awards on Facebook — and check out the Stellar Awards website. The hashtag for the show is #StellarAwards.

GMF congratulates all winners and honorees, including the Triangle’s own Melissa Wade of The Light 103.9 FM, who won the Stellar Award for Gospel Announcer of the Year. You can see the entire list of this year’s winners here.

Radio execs unite to form National Association of Gospel Radio

National Association of Gospel Radio Board

(Shreveport, LA) – A group of the most influential executives in the urban inspirational and gospel music radio industry has come together to create the National Association of Gospel Radio (NAGR) with a mission to empower stations as they preserve, protect, and advance the format. The national organization’s first president, Charles Johnson aka Pastor CeJay, was elected by the board to serve as its first lead officer. Johnson is a transformative community leader and an executive with Alpha Media, which owns the historical KOKA Radio Station (72 years of existence) in Shreveport and two other gospel stations within the country. The organization is operating in a limited capacity with plans to launch fully on January 1, 2023.

We are America’s only trade association for radio professionals working in the gospel/inspirational format,” Johnson explains. “Separately, we reach thousands of ears every day, but together we reach millions of listeners. Our membership comprises radio station programmers, management, engineers, announcers, and salespeople. We believe our existence will uphold the legacy of gospel radio and help it grow for generations to come. Our vision is to become a trusted ally and to provide a hub of resources to stations to help them expand their listening base, increase advertising, and to support music artists within the format.”

Kyle Glover, with the Reach Gospel Radio network that reaches 20 American cities and Canada, will serve as Executive Vice President of the National Association of Gospel Radio. Ju Joyner, from Virginia Beach’s Chesapeake-Portsmouth Broadcasting concern, will be Vice President of Finance. Fred Harris, of Salem Media Group which reaches nearly 40 USA media markets, will be Vice President of Marketing & Promotions. The leadership is rounded out by board members: Dr. Sctonda Kelly Gordon, Program Director with Eternity Media Group in Augusta, GA; Chris Squire, Senior Vice President of Sales with iHeart Media, the largest radio corporation in America; and Ron Thompson, Program Director with Radio One (the largest urban radio corporation in America) in Washington, D.C.

Earnest Pugh recovers from COVID-19, releases new music

Earnest Pugh Records “America the Beautiful” to Celebrate 4th of July and remakes
Evelyn Turrentine-Agee’s “God Did It” to Thank God for His Recovery from COVID-19

(Houston, TX) – Renowned gospel singer, Earnest Pugh, best-known for Billboard No. 1 hits such as “Rain on Us” and “I Need Your Glory,” has returned from the brink of death.

Last summer, Pugh was in a Houston area veteran’s hospital battling a severe case of COVID-19. He was on a ventilator for ten days. His oxygen level dropped to 70. His temperature crested to 102 for over a week as he developed double pneumonia. Pugh’s condition became so acute that the medical staff contemplated inducing a coma so that they could better address his issues. “My physicians said they hadn’t seen anyone with a case as bad as mine make a turnaround,” Pugh confesses. “They also feared the ventilator would harm my singing ability if, by some miracle, I did survive.”

At that juncture, Pugh’s daughter, Kira, reached out to Pastor Ralph Douglas West and the Church Without Walls church family to pray. ”I believe that made the turnaround,” Pugh adds. “After the church started praying for me, my oxygen jumped from 72 to 85 within hours. Millions didn’t make it, but I was one of the ones who did make it.”

Pugh’s recovery inspired him to remake Evelyn Turrentine-Agee’s up-tempo gospel classic, “God Did It” (P Man Music / Estabrookroad Records), as his new single. He transformed it from a quartet track to a quartet meets New Orleans brass band vamp. “Those are the three words I said when I was out of the woods,” Pugh adds. “God did it!”

The Memphis native is also expressing his appreciation to America through a soul-stirring rendition of “America the Beautiful” that releases July 1st, in time to commemorate the 4th of July holiday. The retired Army sergeant spent 15 years in the armed services.

“I’ve always had a sense of pride about America,” Pugh says. “I joined the military at the age of 18. It was simply my part to help make the world a better place. Is America perfect? Absolutely not, but I seek to magnify her best qualities. She’s my choice and my home. She’s beautiful to me.”

Quartet Music Award Winners (2022)

Quartet Music Awards logo (from Facebook)
From Facebook @theQMAs

Black quartet gospel music was celebrated in all its glory last weekend at the Quartet Music Awards (The QMAs). The inaugural event took place Saturday, June 18, at Atlanta’s Center Stage Theater with Dr. Bobby Jones and Justin Rufus as hosts.

Throughout the evening, awards were presented in 16 categories for excellence in quartet music. QMA Honors were also presented to pay homage to the legacy and contributions of the late Lee Williams (Lee Williams and The Spiritual QC’s), Tiffanie Tutu Agee (The Truthettes), George Dean (The Gospel 4), Evelyn Turrentine-Agee, Harvey Watkins, Jr. (The Canton Spirituals), Cleve Graham (The Pilgrim Jubilees), Spencer Taylor (The Highway QC’s), and the late Percy Griffin (The Swanee Quintet). 

The Quartet Music Awards was birthed from the vision of D. Chubbs Morton and Connie Birth. Morton is a songwriter, musician, and frontman for the quartet group D. Morton and Gifted. Birth is a gospel radio personality and music executive.

GMF congratulates all the inaugural QMA recipients.

Male Vocalist Of The Year
Darrel Petties

Female Vocalist Of The Year
Lisa Knowles-Smith

Mixed Quartet Of The Year
Blest By Four

Graphic Designer Of The Year
Johnathan Johnson (Merge Media)

Producer Of The Year
Ray Braswell

Radio Announcer Of The Year
James “G-Man” Guy

New Artist Of The Year
The Robinson Bunch

Label Of The Year
Malaco Records

Song Of The Year
“I Still Got Joy”
(Roy & Revelation)

Album Of The Year
Quartagious
(The Williams Singers)

Male Quartet Of The Year
Darrel Petties & Take 2

Female Quartet Of The Year
Lisa Knowles-Smith & The Brown Singers

Emcee/Host Of The Year
Justin Rufus

Promoter Of The Year
Cheryl Snell

National Artist Of The Year
The Gospel Legends

2022 QMA Artist Of The Year
Men Of Prayze

CeCe Winans announces first national tour in over a decade

CeCe Winans announces concert tour for Believe For It
Photo | Kris Rae

(Los Angeles, CA) – Good things come to those who wait. It’s a timeless, unquestioned truth that’s never been more accurate than when considering the legendary CeCe Winans’ first full-length live recording, Believe For It (Pure Springs Gospel / Fair Trade Services). After almost 40 years of patiently waiting, Winans’ millions of fans around the world were blessed last year with an uplifting live worship experience that listeners have said is hard to top.

But Winans’ true fans know that exceeding expectations while surprising her audiences has been a hallmark of her incomparable career. So leave it to the 15-time Grammy winner to conceive and launch the only project that could follow the recorded album. She’s taking Believe For It on the road! 

Winans has just announced her first national tour in over a decade. Sponsored by Compassion International, the tour is stopping in 21 cities beginning in Indianapolis on September 21, and CeCe promises to bring together church, community, and friends for an amazing, highly anticipated night of worship.

“This tour is going to be amazing,” says the 15-time Grammy award-winning Winans. “I can’t wait to share this experience LIVE with everyone across the country who has supported my career for all of these years, and those who will be hearing the new album for the first time.”

During the tour, Winans will be sharing classics like “Alabaster Box,” “More Than What I Wanted,” and many other hits that have made her the best-selling and most awarded female gospel artist of all time.

And If you’ve not yet heard Winans’ new Believe For It, you should give it a listen before Winans comes to your hometown this fall. In addition to the title track, the album features fan favorites “Never Lost,” “No Greater,” and “Fire.” 

Speaking of fire, the album’s incendiary third single, “Goodness Of God,” is burning up the charts with 205+ million US streams, 148+ million video views, 110+ million TikTok views, and #1 on CCLI’s Top 100 chart (measured from over 250,000 churches’ worship services).

Transparent Productions, one of the largest producers of Christian concerts, tours, and festivals across the U.S. provides the marketing and promotion wheels behind the Believe For It Tour, partnering with Winans to ensure she connects with fans in key cities.  For ticket information and more tour details, go to www.cecewinans.com.

UCON and WSPAA hold inaugural Juneteeth pageant, gospel celebration

Greensboro, NC (June 20, 2022) – UCON (Unwind Communications Outreach Network) and WSPAA (Winston-Salem Performing Arts Alliance) crowned the winners of the inaugural Little Miss and Junior Miss Juneteenth Pageant. Participants in the Little Miss Juneteenth Pageant are girls ages 7-10 years old and girls ages 11-14 years old for the Junior Miss Juneteenth Pageant from various cities throughout the state. “The pageant is designed to provide the girls with soft skills necessary to be well rounded and successful in life as well as building their confidence and offering encouragement,” says Linda Greenwood, UCON director.  

To enter the pageant, the girls had to have a 2.0 GPA and participated in special sessions in haircare, journaling, presenting on camera, Juneteenth history as well as fundraising. Along with the pageant WSPAA executive director Elliott Lowery, UCON director Linda Greenwood put together a special gospel celebration that highlighted the rich heritage of the African  American culture on Sunday, June 19th in Greensboro at the Van Dyke Performing Arts Theater.  This event featured an incredible line-up of regional and local artists – storyteller Fred Motley, renowned contemporary gospel artist W.I.L., and gospel rappers Ezzy Wall and Mr. GP.  

During their year-long reign, Little Miss and Junior Miss Juneteenth are expected to promote positive images through school appearances and community events and serve as role models and spokespeople for Juneteenth.

The Winners

Little Miss Juneteenth representing High Point, NC is Saraiyah Johnson, the daughter of Michelle and  Tacuma Johnson. Saraiyah attends The College Prep and Leadership Academy, also known as The Point. The first runner-up for Little Miss Juneteenth is Serenity White, who represents Winston-Salem. Serenity is the daughter of Victoria Montgomery and attends Ward Elementary.  

Junior Miss Juneteenth representing Greensboro is Joie Holding, the daughter of Tiffany Donnell and Daniel Holding. Joie attends Morehead Elementary.

About UCON and WSPAA

UCON and WSPAA are 501c3 organizations. UCON’s mission is to raise the awareness of community residents on the benefits of collaborating with communication venues, disseminate information pertaining to broadcasting, teach people about broadcasting, develop musical artists through training, and inform the community about how communication technology works. 

The mission of WSPAA is to inspire, uplift, and educate underserved children, youth, adults, and seniors. We seek to build the self-esteem and self-worth of the communities we serve through the performing arts.

Candi Staton goes Gold in Belgium

Music legend Candi Staton has scored a gold record certification for her dance anthem, “Hallelujah Anyway” (Defected Records). London-based Defected Records recently mailed Staton a plaque celebrating the gold status of “Hallelujah Anyway” in Belgium.

“I’m so tickled,” Staton says. “I knew the song was popular because European promoters always ask me to put the song in my concert repertoire when I play Europe. However, I had no idea that it had gone gold in Belgium. I’m so thrilled that these remixes are introducing my voice and the gospel message to a new generation of clubgoers.”

Candi Staton first recorded the infectious groove for her Proverbs 31 Woman (Beracah) album in 2002 when the song received heavy airplay rotation on Radio One’s gospel format. A decade later, DJ Simon Dunmore (founder of the world’s largest dance music recording label, Defected Records), commissioned German DJ, Larse, and the legendary Chicago House DJ, Frankie Knuckles, to create their mixes that have racked up over 10 million streams on Spotify alone. It was an instant smash in clubs across the globe. It has since been remixed by other influential DJs such as Eric Kupper, Moplen, David Penn, and Dr Packer. The song has also been covered by London’s House Gospel Choir on their 2020 Island Records release, RE//CHOIRED.  

– From a press release

Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame 2022 induction set for June 18

Tamela Mann, Donnie McClurkin, The Clark Sisters, and T.D. Jakes are among the 2022 inductees.

Spotlighting a cross-section of history’s most influential Black artists, entertainers and icons, the Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame (BMEWOF) Crown Jewel of Excellence Black Music Month Class of 2022 Induction and Juneteenth Celebration will be held on Saturday, June 18, in Atlanta. The Black American Music Association (BAMAssoc) and the Georgia Entertainment Caucus (GEC), collaboratively announced the ceremony and plans for the Black Music Month Class of 2022 Induction. 

A full list of all 16 inductees is as follows: 

Cathy Hughes (Foundational)
Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington (Foundational)
Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff (Foundational)
Robert Smith (Foundational)
Run DMC (Foundational)
T.D. Jakes (Foundational)
Charlie Wilson (Mainstream)
Donnie McClurkin (Gospel)
Tamela Mann (Gospel)
The Clark Sisters (Gospel Group)
NAS (Hip-Hop)
Angela Bassett (Actress)
Steve Harvey (Mogul)
Bob Marley (International)
Patti LaBelle (Legacy)
Prince (Legacy)

With a national and international appeal, the BMEWOF will acknowledge, preserve, respect, and inspire the Black creative community for generations to come. Atlanta has long been the mecca of Black music and entertainment and the BMEWOF has already become a key addition, showcasing the industry’s greatest contributors.

The Crown Jewel of Excellence emblems for the inductees of the BMEWOF are permanently installed on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, in front of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Crown Jewel of Excellence emblems for June 2022 – and for every class of inductees moving forward – will continue to be added at the BMEWOF’s location in historic downtown Atlanta, preserved for all the world to see, and for generations to come.

For information and updates on the Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame head to: http://www.theblackwalkoffame.com/

Excerpted from a press release

Bryant Scott elected first African-American president of Church Music Publishers Association

Bryant Scott

The ninety-six-year-old Church Music Publishers Association (CMPA) has elected Bryant Scott as its 54th President. Scott, who is also president of the world’s oldest-operating African-American owned gospel recording label, Tyscot Records, and its publishing arm, Tyscot Publishing, will be the organization’s first president of African-American heritage.  John Shorney, Chairman of the Board for the CMPA Action Fund states, “We are delighted to elect Bryant into this CMPA position for the coming year.  He has shown tremendous leadership in the Christian music publishing industry, and we are excited to work alongside him for the benefit of all Christian songwriters and publishers.”  Bryant Scott states, “I am honored to serve the member publishers of the CMPA who represent the greatest songs in the world!”

The CMPA was founded in 1926, and is an organization currently of 51 music publishers who come together to share mutual areas of concern regarding copyright information, education, administration, protection, and legislative advocacy. It includes the publishers of almost every major church denomination as well as other contemporary publishers such as Capitol CMG Publishing, Curb/Word Entertainment, Gaither Music Company, Hillsong Music Publishing, and Maverick City Music, among others. Its publisher members’ works range from recent favorites such as Chris Tomlin’s “Good Good Father,” to vintage compositions such as Andrae’ Crouch’s 1964 anthem, “The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power,” to heritage hymns such as “How Great Thou Art” and “Great is Thy Faithfulness.”  For more information on CMPA, log on at cmpamusic.org.

– From a press release