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2023 Nominee List
38th Annual Stellar Awards

List of all the 2023 Stellar Award winners (video scroll)

Here is a list of all the winners!

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ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Pastor Mike Jr.; Winning; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

 

SONG OF THE YEAR

Impossible; Pastor Mike Jr., James Fortune & JeVon Hill; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

 

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Pastor Mike Jr.; Winning; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

 

ALBERTINA WALKER FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

DOE; Clarity; Life Room Label/RCA Inspiration

 

DUO/CHORUS GROUP OF THE YEAR

Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin; Kingdom Book One; Tribl Records / Fo Yo Soul Recordings / RCA Inspiration

 

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Lena Byrd Miles; Brand New; My Block Inc.

 

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Winning; Pastor Mike Jr.; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

 

CHOIR OF THE YEAR

Brent Jones; Nothing Else Matters (INSTEAD OF COMPLAINING, PRAISE HIM); JDI Entertainment

 

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

Tye Tribbett & Joseph Bethea; All Things New; Motown Gospel

 

CONTEMPORARY DUO/CHORUS GROUP OF THE YEAR

Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin; Kingdom Book One; Tribl Records / Fo Yo Soul Recordings / RCA Inspiration

 

CONTEMPORARY MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Pastor Mike Jr.; Winning; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

 

TRADITIONAL MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Zacardi Cortez; Imprint; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

 

CONTEMPORARY FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

DOE; Clarity; Life Room Label/RCA Inspiration

 

CONTEMPORARY ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Winning; Pastor Mike Jr.; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

 

TRADITIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Imprint; Zacardi Cortez; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

 

URBAN/INSPIRATIONAL SINGLE OR PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

When I Pray; Doe; Life Room Label/RCA Inspiration

 

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Mr. McClure; Michael McClure, Andre Rudolph & Antonio Minifield; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

 

SPECIAL EVENT ALBUM OF THE YEAR

T.D. Jakes Presents "Finally Loosed"; Various Artists; Dexterity Sounds

 

RAP HIP HOP GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Church Clothes 4; Lecrae; Reach Records

 

YOUTH PROJECT OF THE YEAR

Detroit Youth Choir; Rockspell; Confidential Records

 

QUARTET OF THE YEAR

Keith “Wonderboy” Johnson; Restructure, Renew Reunion; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

 

RECORDED MUSIC PACKAGING OF THE YEAR

All Things New; Mike McKesey & Trent Nicholson; Motown Gospel

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PRAISE AND WORSHIP ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Hymns; Tasha Cobbs Leonard; TeeLee Records/Motown Gospel

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PRAISE AND WORSHIP SONG OF THE YEAR

You've Been Good To Me; Zacardi Cortez; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

 

RAP/HIP HOP SONG OF THE YEAR

Blak Sheep; Pastor Mike Jr.; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

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JAMES CLEVELAND LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Rev. Milton Biggham

 

ARETHA FRANKLIN ICON AWARD

CeCe Winans

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THOMAS A. DORSEY MOST NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Dr. Bobby Jones

 

AMBASSADOR DR. BOBBY JONES LEGENDS AWARD

Dottie Peoples

 

GOSPEL RADIO MAJOR MARKET OF THE YEAR

WPZE Praise 102.5, Atlanta

 

GOSPEL RADIO LARGE MARKET OF THE YEAR

WHAL-FM 95.7, Memphis

 

GOSPEL RADIO MEDIUM MARKET OF THE YEAR

WXHL 89.1 FM Reach Gospel Radio, Wilmington

 

GOSPEL RADIO SMALL MARKET OF THE YEAR

WWLD-HD2 98.3FM, Tallahassee

 

INTERNET STATION OF THE YEAR

WVTC Gospel Radio Network

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GOSPEL ANNOUNCER OF THE YEAR

Melanie Pratt, WPZS Praise - Melanie In The Midday

Artist of the Year

  • Doe; Clarity; Life Room Label/RCA Inspiration

  • Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin; Kingdom Book One; Tribl Records / Fo Yo Soul Recordings / RCA Inspiration

  • Pastor Mike Jr.; Winning; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

  • Tasha Cobbs Leonard; Hymns; TeeLee Records/Motown Gospel

  • Tye Tribbett; All Things New; Motown Gospel

Song of the Year

  • Doe; Clarity; Life Room Label/RCA Inspiration

  • Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin; Kingdom Book One; Tribl Records / Fo Yo Soul Recordings / RCA Inspiration

  • Pastor Mike Jr.; Winning; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

  • Tasha Cobbs Leonard; Hymns; TeeLee Records/Motown Gospel

  • Tye Tribbett; All Things New; Motown Gospel

Male Artist of the Year

  • Brian Courtney Wilson; Transitions; Motown Gospel

  • JJ Hairston; Believe Again; Jamestown Music/ Tribl Records, LLC

  • Pastor Mike Jr.; Winning; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

  • Tye Tribbett; All Things New; Motown Gospel

  • Zacardi Cortez; Imprint; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

Albertina Walker Female Artist of the Year

  • CeCe Winans; Believe For it – Deluxe Edition; Pure Springs, Fair Trade, Red Alliance Media

  • DOE; Clarity; Life Room Label/RCA Inspiration

  • Maranda Curtis; Die to Live; Butterfly Works /Red Alliance Media

  • Tamela Mann; Overcomer Deluxe; Tillymann Music Group

  • Tasha Cobbs Leonard; Hymns; TeeLee Records/Motown Gospel

Duo/Chorus of the Year

  • Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin; Kingdom Book One; Tribl Records / Fo Yo Soul Recordings / RCA Inspiration

  • The Group Fire; Heal the Land; Jet Records North/East

  • Tim Bowman Jr. & Faith City Music; Welcome to Faith City; Faith City Music/Tribl Records, LLC

  • Travis Greene & Forward City; Tent Revival; Tribl Records, LLC

New Artist of the Year

  • Courtney Franklin; Heal Us; Pebble Street Records

  •  Lena Byrd Miles; Brand New; My Block Inc.

  • Pastor Nell; It’s My Time; Righteous Records Inc.

  • The Hawkins Boys; Vanquish; Melvin Williams Entertainment

Album of the Year

  • All Things New; Tye Tribbett; Motown Gospel

  • Imprint; Zacardi Cortez; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

  •  Kingdom Book One; Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin; Tribl Records / Fo Yo Soul Recordings / RCA Inspiration

  • Overcomer Deluxe; Tamela Mann; Tillymann Music Group

  • Winning; Pastor Mike Jr.; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

Choir of the Year

  • Bishop S.Y. Younger feat. Sounds of the Ramp; Rampology Vol. 1; Ramp Records / MNRK

  • Brent Jones; Nothing Else Matters (Instead of Complaining, Praise Him); JDI Entertainment

  •  Demetrius West & Jesus Promoters; Old Fellowship Hour; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

  • Vincent Bohanan & SOV; A Choir Christmas; HezHouse Entertainment

Producer of the Year

  • James Fortune & David Outing; My Life; FIYA World / MNRK

  •  Rodney Andre Turner, Jr. & Michael McClure Jr.; Winning; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

  • Tony Brown, Jonathan Jay, Kirk Franklin, Chandler Moore & Norman Gyamfi; Kingdom Book One; Tribl Records /Fo Yo Soul Recordings / RCA Inspiration

  • Travis Greene, Matthew Edwards, Brunes Charles & Reggie Rhett; Tent Revival; Tribl Records, LLC

  • Tye Tribbett; All Things New; Motown Gospel

Contemporary Duo/Chorus Group of the Year

  •  Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin; Kingdom Book One; Tribl Records / Fo Yo Soul Recordings / RCA Inspiration

  • Tennessee State University Marching Band, Kierra Sheard Kelly, Sir The Baptist & Dubba-AA; The Urban Hymnal; Tennessee State University

  • The Group Fire; Heal the Land; Jet Records North/East

  • Travis Greene & Forward City; Tent Revival; Tribl Records, LLC

Contemporary Male Artist of the Year

  • Brian Courtney Wilson; Transitions; Motown Gospel

  • Pastor Mike Jr.; Winning; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

  • James Fortune; My Life; FIYA World / MNRK

  • Tye Tribbett; All Things New; Motown Gospel

Traditional Male Artist of the Year

  • Bishop S.Y. Younger; Rampology Vol. 1; Ramp Records / MNRK

  • Brent Jones; Nothing Else Matters (Instead of Complaining, Praise Him); JDI Entertainment

  • JJ Hairston; Believe Again; Jamestown Music/ Tribl Records, LLC

  • Zacardi Cortez; Imprint; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

Contemporary Female Artist of the Year

  • CeCe Winans; Believe For it – Deluxe Edition; Pure Springs, Fair Trade, Red Alliance Media

  • DOE; Clarity; Life Room Label/RCA Inspiration

  • Maranda Curtis; Die to Live; Butterfly Works /Red Alliance Media

  • Tamela Mann; Overcomer Deluxe; Tillymann Music Group

  • Tasha Cobbs Leonard; Hymns; TeeLee Records/Motown Gospel

Contemporary Album of the Year

  • All Things New; Tye Tribbett; Motown Gospel

  • Kingdom Book One; Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin; Tribl Records / Fo Yo Soul Recordings / RCA Inspiration

  • Overcomer Deluxe; Tamela Mann; Tillymann Music Group

  • Winning; Pastor Mike Jr.; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

Traditional Album of the Year

  • Believe Again; JJ Hairston; Jamestown Music/ Tribl Records, LLC

  •  Imprint; Zacardi Cortez; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

  • Nothing Else Matters (Instead of Complaining, Praise Him); Brent Jones; JDI Entertainment

  • Rampology Vol. 1 (Live); Bishop S.Y. Younger feat. Sounds of the Ramp; Ramp Records / MNRK

Urban Inspirational Single or Performance of the Year

  •  “Bless Me”; Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin; Tribl Records / Fo Yo Soul Recordings / RCA Inspiration

  • “Get Up”; Tye Tribbett; Motown Gospel

  •  “Impossible”; Pastor Mike Jr.; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

  •  “The Better Benediction” ft. Zacardi Cortez, Gene Moore, Samoht, Tim Rogers, and Darrel ‘MusiqCity’ Walls; PJ Morton; Morton Records / Empire

  •  “When I Pray”; DOE; Life Room Label/RCA Inspiration

Music Video of the Year

  •  “Goodness of God”; C’mon Creative; Pure Springs/FairTrade Services/Red Alliance Media

  •  “Jesus” (feat. Le’Andria Johnson); Joshua Freeman and Tim Bowman Jr.; Faith City Music/Tribl Records, LLC

  •  “Mr. McClure”; Michael McClure, Andre Rudolph & Antonio Minifield; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

  •  “Positive”; James Earl; My Block Inc.

Special Event Album of the Year

  • Christmas at Our House; Teddy & Tina Campbell; Gee Tree Creative/Red Alliance Media

  • Kingdom Business: Season 1 soundtrack; Kingdom Business Cast; RCA Inspiration / Sony Music Entertainment

  • T.D. Jakes Presents “Finally Loosed”; Various Artists; Dexterity Sounds

  • The Urban Hymnal; Tennessee State University Marching Band, Kierra Sheard Kelly, Sir The Baptist & Dubba-AA; Tennessee State University

Rap/ Hip-Hop Gospel Album of the Year

  • As I Am; 1K Phew; Reach Records

  • Church Clothes 4; Lecrae; Reach Records

  • He’s Been Good; Miz Tiffany; Mixed Bag Entertainment

  • Us Against the World; God Over Money; God Over Money Records

Youth Project of the Year

  • Alana Inez; Minor in a Major World; Law Ent.

  • Alphonso (A.J.) Evans Jr.; Not 2 Young; Enon Music Group

  • AMG Kidz; Sunday School; AMG Kidz / Anderson Music Group

  • Detroit Youth Choir; Rockspell; Confidential Records

  • Walt Whitman & The Soul Children of Chicago; Still Standing; M’Paact Records

Quartet of the Year

  • Keith “Wonderboy” Johnson; Restructure, Renew Reunion; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

  • The Christian Brothers; He ReWrote My Story; Millennium Sound Records

  • The Hawkins Boys; Vanquish; Melvin Williams Entertainment

  • The Williams Singers; Quartagious (Deluxe Edition); Deznell Music Group / Anderson Music Group

Recorded Music Packaging of the Year

  • – All Things New; Mike McKesey & Trent Nicholson; Motown Gospel

  • – Clarity; Tyler Simien; Life Room Label/RCA Inspiration

  • – Overcomer Deluxe; Keston McKinnon; Tillymann Music Group

  • – Worship & Justice; Tim Parker; RCA Inspiration

Praise and Worship Album of the Year

  • Die to Live; Maranda Curtis; Butterfly Works /Red Alliance Media

  • Hymns; Tasha Cobbs Leonard; TeeLee Records/Motown Gospel

  • Morning Songs; Dulaneyland Music; MNRK

  • The Invitation; Isabel Davis; Global Ministry Records

Praise and Worship Song of the Year

  •  “I Still Have You”; Smokie Norful; Tre’Myles Music / MNRK

  • “I Will Rejoice”; Isabel Davis; Global Ministry Records

  • “The Moment”; Tasha Cobbs Leonard; TeeLee Records/Motown Gospel

  • “You’ve Been Good to Me”; Zacardi Cortez; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

Rap/ Hip-Hop Song of the Year

  •  “Any Attack”; Lecrae + 1K Phew; Reach Records

  •  “Blak Sheep”; Pastor Mike Jr.; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

  • “He’s Been Good”; Miz Tiffany; Mixed Bag Entertainment

  • “Jireh (My Provider)” ft. Lecrae + HappiMusic; Limoblaze; Limoblaze Music

  •  “New”; Tye Tribbett; Motown Gospel

Gospel Radio of the Year

        MAJOR MARKET OF THE YEAR

  • WPZE Praise 102.5, Atlanta

  • WPZS 100.9, Charlotte

  • WGRB 1390AM, Chicago

  • WMBM AM 1490, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale

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      LARGE MARKET OF THE YEAR

  • WJYD JOY 107.1, Columbus

  • WBBP AM 1480, Memphis

  • WHAL-FM 95.7, Memphis

  • WREJ 101.3 FM 990 AM, Richmond

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      SMALL MARKET OF THE YEAR

  • KOKA 980 AM 93.3 FM, Shreveport

  • WEHA 88.7FM & 100.3FM, Atlantic City

  • WHLW -FM 104.3, Montgomery

  • WWLD-HD2 98.3FM, Tallahassee

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GOSPEL ANNOUNCER OF THE YEAR

  • Charles Johnson, KOKA 980 AM, Pastor CeJay In The Afternoons

  • Darlene McCoy Jackson, WPZE Praise 102.5 - The Nightly Spirit With Darlene

  • Erica Campbell, Nationally Syndicated, Get Up! Mornings With Erica Campbell

  • Melanie Pratt, WPZS Praise - Melanie In The Midday

Nomination Summary

  • Pastor Mike, Jr.  – 10 Nominations 

  • Tye Tribbett – 9 Nominations 

  • Maverick City  Music x Kirk Franklin – 6 Nominations 

  • Tasha Cobbs Leonard – 5 Nominations 

  • Zacardi Cortez – 5 Nominations 

  • DOE* – 5 Nominations  

  • Tamela Mann – 4 Nominations 

  • Maranda Curtis – 3 Nominations 

  • Travis Greene & Forward City* – 3 Nominations 

  • JJ Hairston – 3 Nominations 

  • Brent Jones*  – 3 Nominations 

  • Bishop S.Y. Younger feat. Sounds of the Ramp* – 3 Nominations 

 

  • * Denotes first time nominee

Nominations
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