Stellar Gospel Music Awards Marks 20th Anniversary
There once was a time when TV and gospel music were not exactly a "match made in heaven." With so many television stations refusing to broadcast gospel music of any kind due to the lack of major sponsors and differing ideologies, it seemed like the two would always be on opposite sides. However, with the changing views towards religion in politics and the entertainment industry, gospel music and TV are now more compatible than ever before. The 20th Anniversary of the Stellar Gospel Music Awards is proof that gospel music and TV can, and do, mix well.
Now in it's 20th year, The Stellar Awards is still being produced by Central City Productions which started the awards back in 1985 as a way to celebrate the year in gospel music. This year, the awards highlighted the genre's contemporary urban stars as well as honoring its greatest legends such as Yolanda Adams and Kirk Franklin.
The big winner of this year's awards was Tonex, who was also the co-host of the show along with Donnie McClurkin and Yolanda Adams. He won six trophies for his album "Out the Box". The show also featured a couple of reunions by the Hawkins Family and by the Caravans. The show also included the energetic performances of Israel Houghton & New Breed and the electrifying act of Kirk Franklin with God's Property, who had the assistance of the Texas Southern University 'Ocean of Soul' Marching Band.
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Don Jackson, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Central City Productions INC. reflects on what the awards has done for gospel music and the struggles that they went through over the years. Jackson states that television stations are no longer suspicious of gospel music as an entertainment art form. "Before, we would have to position the Stellar Awards as a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We used Dr. King as a crutch, and because many stations felt that they should do something for his birthday, a gospel music special was appropriate. We don't have to do that anymore," says Jackson.
Executive producer Don Jackson says that a big part of why the Stellars have grown in stature is due to the loyalty of artists to the show that gave them their first true exposure to the public. Artists such as Adams, McClurkin, Franklin and others went on to have mainstream success. The show's success has also been directly impacted by the assistance of secular stars such as Patti LaBelle, Smokey Robinson, and Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child. This year, the show was boosted by the performance of American Idol winner Reuben Studdard and by Roberta Flack and Lalah Hathaway, who were presenters.
This year's award, which was taped in Houston, TX on Jan. 15, began airing in syndication nationwide this past Saturday and will continue until February 20, 2005. The telecasts are now being aired on 147 stations. For a complete station list and schedule, visit www.stellarawards.com.
Here Are The Winners of the 20th Stellar Awards
Artist of the Year: Tonex & The Peculiar People, Out the Box
Song of the Year: Make Me Over, A.C. Williams (From Tonex?fs Out the Box CD)
Male Vocalist of the Year: Israel Houghton, Live From Another Level
Female Vocalist of the Year: CeCe Winans, Throne Room
Group/Duo of the Year: The Williams Brothers, Still Here
New Artist of the Year: Martha Munizzi, The Best Is Yet to Come
CD of the Year: Live from Another Level, Israel & New Breed
Choir of the Year: New Direction, Rain
Producer of the Year: Fred Hammond, Somethin?f ?eBout Love
Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year: Detrick Haddon Presents Voices of Unity, All Star Edition
Traditional Group/Duoof the Year: The Williams Brothers, Still Here
Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year: Tonex, Out the Box
Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year: Bishop Paul S. Morton, Let It Rain
Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year: CeCe Winans, Throne Room
Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year: Dottie Peoples, The Water I Give
Traditional CD of the Year: It?fs Your Time, Luther Barnes & the Sunset Jubilaries
Urban/Inspirational CD of the Year: Out the Box, Tonex & the Peculiar People
Music Video of the Year: Let It Rain, Bishop Paul S. Morton
Traditional Choir of the Year: Bishop Paul S. Morton & the FGBCF Mass Choir, Let It Rain
Contemporary Choir of the Year: The Born Again Church Choir, CeCe Winans Presents: The Born Again Church Choir
Special Event CD of the Year: WOW 2004, Various Artists
Rap/Hip Hop Gospel CD of the Year: Out the Box (Thank Q), Tonex & the Peculiar People
Quartet of the Year: The Williams Brothers, Still Here
Recorded Music Packaging of the Year: Karen Philpott, Michael Gomez, Throne Room
