By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever
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| Photo Credit: Rick Diamond |
For VaShawn Mitchell, it was a weekend to remember at the 27th annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards. Mitchell had his hands full, leaving with six trophies for his CD Triumphant, which features Billboard’s number one gospel song of 2011, “Nobody Greater.”
A special moment in the evening came when Kirk Franklin, after having won Song of the Year for “I Smile,” shared his award with fellow category nominee Darius Paulk, the writer of “Nobody Greater.”
Other honorees of the evening were Vy Higginsen, who was presented the Thomas Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award, and John P. Kee, who received the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award. Higginsen is perhaps most recognized as the founder of Gospel For Teens and as the first black female writer, producer, and director of the longest running Off-Broadway musical in the history of American theatre, Mama, I Want to Sing.
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| Photo Credit: Rick Diamond |
The James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Kee for his remarkable music career that spans over three decades and encompasses a myriad of gospel music accolades. In the late 1980’s, he was crowned the Prince of Gospel.
During the pre-show (see
related story), the Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones Legends Award was given to Dorothy Norwood.
Daughters of “The Royal Lady of Gospel” Delois Barrett Campbell (who
passed in August 2011, at age 85) were also recipients of a special Stellar Award at the pre-show. The trophies will now bear Campbell’s name among the inscriptions. Additionally, fans of the Barrett Sisters were thrilled to learn that a film documentary chronicling the life and extensive career of Campbell and her siblings is scheduled for release in March. It will feature vintage music footage and lively candid interviews with the internationally acclaimed trio.
The Stellar Awards will air nationally on the Gospel Music Channel, Saturday, February 11. Visit
www.thestellarawards.com and click Local Airdates for the broadcast dates and times in your area.
Below is this year’s complete list of winners.
Artist Of The Year
VaShawn Mitchell
Song of the Year
“I Smile” – Kirk Franklin
Male Vocalist Of The Year
VaShawn Mitchell
Albertina Walker Female Vocalist of the Year
Kim Burrell
Group/Duo of the Year
Mary Mary
New Artist of the Year
Y’Anna Crawley
CD of the Year
Hello Fear – Kirk Franklin
Choir of the Year
Ricky Dillard & New G
Producer of the Year
Kirk Franklin
Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year
Mary Mary
Traditional Group/Duo of the Year
The Rance Allen Group
Contemporary Male of the Year
VaShawn Mitchell
Traditional Male of the Year
Smokie Norful
Contemporary Female of the Year
Kim Burrell
Traditional Female of the Year
Beverly Crawford
Contemporary CD of the Year
Hello Fear – Kirk Franklin
Traditional CD of the Year
How I Got Over – Smokie Norful
Urban/Inspirational Single or Performance Of The Year
VaShawn Mitchell
Music Video of the Year – Short Format
“Nobody Greater” – VaShawn Mitchell
Music Video of the Year – Long Format
Church on the Moon – Deitrick Haddon
Traditional Choir of the Year
Mississippi Mass Choir
Contemporary Choir of the Year
Shekinah Glory Ministry
Instrumental Gospel CD of the Year
Music Remastered and Sacred Organ – Moses Tyson, Jr.
Special Event CD of the Year
Bishop Morton Celebrates 25 Years of Music – Bishop Paul S. Morton
Rap Hip Hop Gospel CD of the Year
Rehab: The Overdose – Lacrae
Children’s Project of the Year
Teen Pure In Heart Live – Pure-N-Heart
Quartet of the Year
The Rance Allen Group
Recorded Music Packaging of the Year
Make It Loud! – Martha Munizzi
Praise and Worship CD of the Year
Triumphant – VaShawn Mitchell
Spoken Word CD Recording of the Year
Look at You Loving Me – Selah
Radio Station of the Year – Major Market
KJLH 102.3FM – Los Angeles, CA
Radio Station of the Year – Large Market
WHAL 95.7FM/1460AM – Memphis, TN
Radio Station of the Year – Medium Market
WLOU 1350AM – Louisville, KY
Radio Station of the Year – Small Market
KOKA 980AM – Shreveport, LA
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
On this date in 1972, Mahalia Jackson–widely regarded as the world’s greatest gospel singer–passed away. She was 59 years old. (Almost all news reports indicated she was 60, because her birth year was supposedly 1911. Her grave marker, however, bears the inscription of 1912 as her year of birth; therefore, she would not have turned 60 until October of 1972.)
