Don and Teresa Jackson vow to honor Richard Smallwood properly after recent Stellar Awards oversight
The 41st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards celebrated another year of gospel excellence, but the televised ceremony left many longtime gospel music fans asking an uncomfortable question: "Did the Stellar Awards give Richard Smallwood the honor his legacy deserved?"
During the airing of 41st Stellar Awards, a tribute to Smallwood was noticeably omitted from the main broadcast.
Smallwood, who passed away on December 30, 2025, at age 77, was a celebrated gospel singer and pianist. He was also a composer, choir director and musical visionary whose repertoire included such gospel staples as "Total Praise," "I Love the Lord" and "Center of My Joy."
His music has been recorded or performed by Whitney Houston, Destiny's Child and Boyz II Men to name a few. He was also a multiple Stellar Award winner and a 2006 Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductee.
Dr. Teresa Hairston Jackson who produced the Stellar pre-show had announced before the event that Smallwood would be honored. The pre-show tribute featured a performance of Smallwood's signature song, "Total Praise," which was performed by "American Idol" winner Jamal Roberts and gospel music upstart Adia.
The problem was placement.
The tribute to Smallwood during the pre-show rather than the nationally televised main ceremony mattered to many, especially Smallwood's family.
The family of Richard Smallwood and The Small Rich Foundation publicly expressed their disappointment in the omission in a letter posted online.
While thanking fans for their immense support, they noted: "We understand and share the disappointment expressed by so many... we remain equally committed to ensuring that Richard’s music, ministry, impact, and extraordinary contributions to Gospel music are never forgotten."
Teresa Hairston Jackson, president of the Gospel Industry Coalition and producer of the Stellar pre-show, publicly addressed the criticism and apologized for the situation.
Following the public outcry from the Smallwood family, Dr. Teresa Hairston Jackson issued a sincere video apology.
She acknowledged the community’s deep disappointment regarding the oversight by The Stellar Awards and admitted the mistake. Moreover, she vowed that The Stellar Awards would "get it right" moving forward.
In a subsequent social medial announcement, Don Jackson, Founder of the Stellar Awards, revealed that a tribute to Richard Smallwood would be part of the 2027 Stellar Awards main telecast.
The Stellar Awards have a long history of honoring gospel pioneers through special recognitions, including the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award, Legend Award and Stellar Honors Hall of Fame. The organization has honored figures such as Spencer Taylor, Lee Williams, Ricky Dillard, Bobby Jones and others whose careers helped shape gospel music.
However, this omission of Richard Smallwood from the main telecast was glaring and has renewed conversations about other notable gospel music legends who were not acknowledged by The Stellar Awards, such as LaShun Pace, after their passings.
It should be noted that recent iterations of the Stellar Awards televised broadcast have not included an "In Memoriam" section like the Grammys or Academy Awards. So this year's "In Memoriam" during the pre-show was a step forward for Central City Productions and The Stellar Awards.
The Stellar Awards have evolved considerably since their first ceremony in the 1980s. Today, the program spans various gospel genres and recognizes HBCU choirs and emerging artists.
Without the Stellar Awards, many gospel music artists would not receive any recognition for their talents and dedication to gospel music.
Unfortunately, this profound reliance on the Stellar Awards for recognition and validation is both a testament to the importance and impact of the long running awards show and its burden.
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