37th Stellar Gospel Music Awards: Here’s Everything you Need to Know
(Updated at 1:00pm CT with winners list)
The Stellar Gospel Music Awards is celebrating its 37th year honoring excellence in Gospel music!
Last year’s Stellar Awards was electrifying, and this year’s event of accolades and inspiration soared to even higher heights! Here is everything you need to know about the faith-filled night of worship, song, and praise of the live-taped ceremony held at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia.
Erica Campbell (Photo Credit: Central City Productions)
Stellar Award-winning artists Kierra Sheard and Jekalyn Carr serve as this year’s Hosts and will premiere Sunday, August 7 at 8 PM ET/PT on BET, BET Her, and BET International, with syndication in various local markets across the country between August 13 and September 11, 2022. Presented this year by AT&T Dream in Black in partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, this year’s sponsors also include Procter & Gamble (P&G), Walmart, State Farm, Toyota, McDonald’s – Black & Positively Golden, and Aflac.
Kierra Sheard Kelly (Photo Credit: Central City Productions)
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.
Jonathan McReynolds (Photo Credit: Central City Productions)
Pastor Mike, Jr. leads the list of winners with a total of six Stellar Awards, including Artist of the Year, Male Vocalist 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.
Pastor Mike Jr (Photo Credit: Central City Productions)
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, Two-time nominee E. Dewey Smith was named Best New Artist for his 2021 albums God Period and Let Praises Ring.
Tamela and David Mann (Photo Credit: Central City Productions)
The 37th Stellar Gospel Music Awards also 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 others.
Kirk and Tammy Franklin (Photo Credit: Central City Productions)
Giving 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.
37th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Award Winners
CATEGORY #1
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
– Pastor Mike, Jr.; I Got It: Single’s Ministry Vol 1; Black Smoke Music Worldwide/ Rock City Media Group
CATEGORY #2
SONG OF THE YEAR
– Jireh (Featuring Chandler Moore & Naomi Raine); Naomi Raine, Chandler Moore, Steven Furtick & Chris Brown; TRIBL Records
CATEGORY #3
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
– Pastor Mike, Jr.; I Got It: Single’s Ministry Vol 1; Black Smoke Music Worldwide/ Rock City Media Group
CATEGORY #4
ALBERTINA WALKER FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
– Tamela Mann; Overcomer; Tillymann Music Group
Tamela Mann (Photo Courtesy: Central City Productions)
CATEGORY #5
DUO/CHORUS GROUP OF THE YEAR
– Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music; Jonny x Mali: Live in L.A. EP; Life Room/K Approved/RCA Inspiration/MNRK
CATEGORY #6
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
– E. Dewey Smith; God Period; Pebble Street Records
CATEGORY #7
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
– I Got It: Single’s Ministry Vol 1; – Pastor Mike, Jr.; Black Smoke Music Worldwide / Rock City Media Group
CATEGORY #8
CHOIR OF THE YEAR
– Ricky Dillard; Breakthrough: The Exodus; Motown Gospel
CATEGORY #9
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
– CeCe Winans, Dwan Hill, Kyle Lee, Greg Ham, Derek Spirk & Chaz Corzine; Believe For It; Pure Springs Gospel / Fair Trade Services / Red Alliance Media
CATEGORY #10
CONTEMPORARY DUO/CHORUS GROUP OF THE YEAR
– Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music; Jonny x Mali: Live in L.A. EP; Life Room/K Approved/RCA Inspiration/MNRK
CATEGORY #11
TRADITIONAL DUO/CHORUS GROUP OF THE YEAR
– Category Omitted
CATEGORY #12
CONTEMPORARY MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
– Pastor Mike, Jr.; I Got It: Single’s Ministry Vol 1; Black Smoke Music Worldwide/Rock
City Media Group
CATEGORY #13
TRADITIONAL MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
– Ricky Dillard; Breakthrough: The Exodus; Motown Gospel
CATEGORY #14
CONTEMPORARY FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
– Tamela Mann; Overcomer; Tillymann Music Group
CATEGORY #15
TRADITIONAL FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
– Martha Munizzi; Best Days; Epic Music
CATEGORY #16
CONTEMPORARY ALBUM OF THE YEAR
– I Got It: Single’s Ministry Vol 1; – Pastor Mike, Jr.; Black Smoke Music Worldwide / Rock City Media Group
CATEGORY #17
TRADITIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
The N.O.W. Experience; Kelontae Gavin; RCA Inspiration
CATEGORY #18
URBAN/INSPIRATIONAL SINGLE OR PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
– Amazing; Pastor Mike, Jr.; Black Smoke Music Worldwide / Rock City Media Group
(Photo Courtesy: Central City Productions)
CATEGORY #19
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
– Help Me; David Mann Jr.; Tillymann Music Group
CATEGORY #20
TRADITIONAL CHOIR OF THE YEAR
– Ricky Dillard; Breakthrough: The Exodus; Motown Gospel
CATEGORY #21
CONTEMPORARY CHOIR OF THE YEAR
– Category Omitted
CATEGORY #22
INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
– The Good News (Instrumental); Charles Butler & Trinity; Impact One Music / Red Alliance Media / Fair Trade Services
CATEGORY #23
SPECIAL EVENT ALBUM OF THE YEAR
– Jonny x Mali: Live in L.A. EP; Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music; Life Room/K Approved/RCA Inspiration/MNRK
CATEGORY #24
RAP HIP HOP GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
– No Church In A While; 1K Phew & Lecrae; Reach Records
CATEGORY #25
YOUTH PROJECT OF THE YEAR
– Janessa Smith; Finish This Race; Inspired Recording
CATEGORY #26
QUARTET OF THE YEAR
– The Brown Boyz; The Reintroduction; SIX19 Music
CATEGORY #27
RECORDED MUSIC PACKAGING OF THE YEAR
– Jonny x Mali: Live in L.A. EP; Tyler Simien; Life Room/K Approved/RCA Inspiration/MNRK
CATEGORY #28
PRAISE AND WORSHIP ALBUM OF THE YEAR
– Believe For It; CeCe Winans; Pure Springs Gospel / Fair Trade Services / Red Alliance Media
CATEGORY #29
PRAISE AND WORSHIP SONG OF THE YEAR
– Believe For It; CeCe Winans; Pure Springs Gospel / Fair Trade Services / Red Alliance Media
CATEGORY #30
RAP/HIP HOP SONG OF THE YEAR
– Redeemed ft. Mali Music; Amethyst; Independent
JAMES CLEVELAND LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
– Ricky Dillard
ARETHA FRANKLIN ICON AWARD
– Aaron Lindsey
AMBASSADOR DR. BOBBY JONES LEGENDS AWARD
– Candi Staton
STELLAR HONORS HALL OF FAME
– Conference of National Black Churches
- Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, Chairman
- Senior Bishop Adam Jefferson Richardson, African Methodist Episcopal Church o Senior Bishop Kenneth Monroe, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church o Senior Bishop Lawrence L. Reddick, III, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church o Presiding Bishop & Chief Apostle John Drew Sheard, Church of God in Christ o Dr. Jerry Young, President, National Baptist Convention USA, Inc.
- Dr. David Peoples, President, Progressive National Baptist Convention – Rev. Anthony Evans, President, National Black Church Initiative
GOSPEL RADIO OF THE YEAR WINNERS
MAJOR MARKET OF THE YEAR
– WPZE Praise 102.5, Atlanta
LARGE MARKET OF THE YEAR
– WJYD JOY 107.1, Columbus
MEDIUM MARKET OF THE YEAR
– WNZN 89.1, Lorain
SMALL MARKET OF THE YEAR
– WYPZ – FM 99.5, Macon
INTERNET STATION OF THE YEAR
– WVTC Gospel Radio Network, http://www.wvtcradio.com
GOSPEL ANNOUNCER OF THE YEAR
– Melissa Wade, WNNL – The Light 103.9, Raleigh, NC
Set your DVR! The 37th Stellar Gospel Music Awards will premiere Sunday, August 7th at 8/7C on BET.
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. Visit their website here for more info.
