A Stellar Award is an award presented by the Stellar Awards Gospel Music Academy (SAGMA) to recognize achievements in the gospel music industry.Sagma. The Stellar Awards. Retrieved on March 6, 2019 The annual presentation ceremony features performances by prominent gospel artists, and the presentation of those awards that have a more popular interest.About Us. The Stellar Awards. Retrieved on March 6, 2019 The Stellars were the first major gospel music awards held annually.
The first Stellar Awards ceremony was held on 1984, to honor and respect the musical accomplishments by gospel performers for the year 1983. Following the 2018 ceremony, SAGMA overhauled a few Stellar Award categories for 2019.
History
The first award ceremony was held at Arie Crown Theater in Chicago in 1985. Over the years, the Stellars have been held in various locations including Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Nashville, and New York. Starting from the 30th Annual Stellar Awards in 2015, the show aired on American digital cable and satellite television network TV One.The 30th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards on TV One!. TV One Network. Retrieved on March 7, 2019 Starting with the 34th annual ceremony in 2019, the Stellar Awards moved its annual broadcast to BET. The number of awards given has changed over the years with categories being added and removed. The Stellars are produced by Don Jackson's Chicago-based Central City Productions. The production company is also a distributor of original programming to television and cable networks.
In the spring of 2000, Central City Productions changed the voting process by creating the Stellar Awards Gospel Music Academy (SAGMA). SAGMA is currently the official voting body for the Stellar Awards. The Academy is open to artists, gospel industry professionals, radio announcers, record company executives, writers, and educators. In 2020, the awards show was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ceremony was aired virtually on August 23, 2020.
Entry process and selection of nominees Record companies and artists enter recordings and music videos online released during the eligibility period that meet the category requirements.Stellar Awards Important Dates. The Stellar Awards. Retrieved on March 6, 2019 Entries are made online and product is submitted digitally. Once a work is entered, submission go through a screening process. A confidential review committee made up of music industry experts in various fields meet to insure that all entries meet the eligibility criteria, all entries are in the appropriate categories, and are appropriate for the Stellar Awards. Each category is limited based on the dictate and discretion of the review committee. Technical quality, lyrics, voice quality, charting duration, project content and charting performance are reviewed for inclusion on the ballot. All review committee selections are then finalized.
Final voting The voting process for narrowing down the final nominees consist of two separate ballots. The first round ballot includes eligible entries as determined by the review committee and voted upon by eligible SAGMA members. Top entries for each category from the first ballot move forward to the final ballot. During the final voting process, SAGMA members determine the Stellar Awards nominees and winners. The nominees are announced during a press/radio tour. Once final nominees are determined, some categories are available for public voting through the Fan Favorite Voting period. Selected categories for fan voting changes from year to year.
Categories
Artist of the Year Song of the Year Male Artist of the Year Albertina Walker Female Artist of the Year Duo/Chorus Group of the Year New Artist of the Year Album of the Year Choir of the Year Producer of the Year Contemporary Duo/Chorus Group of the Year Traditional Duo/Chorus Group of the Year Contemporary Male Artist of the Year Traditional Male Artist of the Year Traditional Female Artist of the Year Contemporary Female Artist of the Year Contemporary Album of the Year Traditional Album of the Year Urban/Inspirational Single or Performance of the Year Music Video of the Year Traditional Choir of the Year Contemporary Choir of the Year Traditional Artist of the Year Special Event Album of the Year Rap/Hip Hop Gospel Album of the Year Rap/Hip Hop Gospel Song of the Year Youth Project of the Year Quartet of the Year Recorded Music Packaging of Year Praise and Worship Album of the Year Praise and Worship Song of the Year James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award
Radio & Internet Station Awards
Gospel Radio Top Market of the Year Gospel Radio Medium Market of the Year Gospel Radio Small Market of the Year Gospel Radio Internet Station of the Year Gospel Announcer of the Year Syndicated Gospel Radio Show of the Year
Ceremonies
# Date Host(s) Venue 1 1986 Tramaine Hawkins Arie Crown Theater, Chicago"Gospel Music Awards brings out the Best | Gary/Chicago Crusader". Chicago/Gary Crusader. March 10, 2016. Retrieved January 25, 2019. 2 1987 Al GreenTramaine Hawkins Auditorium Theatre, Chicago 3 1988 The WinansChrist Universal Temple, Chicago 4 1989 Wintley PhippsTramaine HawkinsMarvin Winans 5 1990 Clifton Davis Marla Gibbs Aquarius Theater, Los Angeles 61991Clifton DavisMarilyn McCooApollo Theater, New York City 7 1992Royce Hall, Los Angeles 8 1993 9 November 1994 Anna Maria HorsfordClifton Davis Auditorium Theatre, Chicago 10 1995 Arnetia WalkerMeshach Taylor 111996James AveryKim FieldsJonathan SlocumbTennessee Performing Arts Center, Nashville 12 1997Terrence C. CarsonJonathan SlocumbCeCe Winans Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville 13 1998 Yolanda AdamsMiguel A. Núñez Jr. 14 January 9, 1999 Lynn Whitfield Steve HarveyCeCe WinansAtlanta Civic Center, Atlanta 15 January 8, 2000 Dr. Bobby Jones Donnie McClurkin Vickie Winans 16 January 13, 2001Ananda LewisVickie WinansDr. Bobby JonesT. D. Jakes 17 January 12, 2002 Yolanda Adams Donnie McClurkin 18 January 11, 2003 Mary Mary Donnie McClurkinMichelle Williams 19 January 10, 2004 Yolanda Adams Kirk Franklin Donnie McClurkinGeorge R. Brown Convention Center, Houston 20 January 15, 2005 Yolanda Adams Donnie McClurkinTonéx 21 January 21, 2006 Israel Houghton Vickie WinansDonnie McClurkinGrand Ole Opry, Nashville 22 January 13, 2007 Kirk FranklinMary MaryTye Tribbett 23 January 12, 2008 Kirk FranklinCeCe WinansByron Cage 24 January 17, 2009 Dorinda Clark-Cole Donnie McClurkinSinbad 25 January 16, 2010 Kirk FranklinDonnie McClurkinVickie Winans 26 January 15, 2011 Donnie McClurkin 27 January 14, 2012 Dorinda Clark-ColeMarvin Sapp 28 January 19, 2013 Mary MaryKirk Franklin 29 January 18, 2014 Sherri ShepherdRickey Smiley Nashville Municipal Auditorium, Nashville 30 March 28, 2015 Rickey SmileyDavid Mann Tamela Mann Orleans Arena, Las Vegas 31 February 20, 2016 Rickey SmileySherri Shepherd 32 March 25, 2017 Anthony BrownErica Campbell 33 March 24, 2018Kirk Franklin 34 March 29, 201934th Annual Stellar Awards. Orleans Arena. Retrieved on March 6, 2019 35 August 23, 2020 Kirk FranklinJonathan McReynoldsKoryn Hawthorne Virtual ceremony36July 10, 2021Jekalyn CarrTye TribbettSchermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville37July 16, 2022Jekalyn CarrKierra SheardCobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Atlanta38July 15, 2023Jonathan McReynoldsTasha Cobbs LeonardOrleans Arena, Las Vegas39July 20, 2024Rickey SmileyLoni Love
See also
List of religion-related awards
References
External links