buzzz worthy. . .
IYANLA VANZANT, WENDY RAQUEL ROBINSON,
LETOYA LUCKETT, HEZEKIAH WALKER, JASON NELSON,
JONATHAN MCREYNOLDS, DORINDA CLARKE COLE AND MORE ADDED TO TALENT LINE-UP AT THE
31st ANNUAL STELLAR GOSPEL MUSIC AWARDS
Yolanda Adams, Donnie McClurkin, Karen Clark Sheard and
Marvin Sapp Collaborate in Star-Studded Performance
Stellar Awards to Premiere on TV One Sunday, March 6 at 6 p.m. ET
LAS VEGAS - - Iyanla Vanzant, Wendy Raquel Robinson, LeToya Luckett, Jason Nelson, Jonathan McReynolds, Hezekiah Walker, Dorinda Clarke Cole, Alexis Spight, Briana Babineaux, Maurette Brown Clark, T.C. Stallings and Tim Bowman, Jr. are among the artists added to the talent line-up at the31st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards this Saturday, Feb. 20, at the Las Vegas Orleans Arena.
Produced by Central City Productions, the live-to-tape awards show honoring the best of music's artists, writers and industry professionals, will present rousing and spirit-filled performances, including an all-star collaboration featuring Yolanda Adams, Donnie McClurkin, Karen Clark Sheard and Marvin Sapp. Hosted by comedian, and syndicated radio and TV personality Rickey Smiley (Dish Nation, Rickey Smiley For Real) and actress and TV personality Sherri Shepherd (Ride Along 2, The View), the 31st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards - the biggest night in Gospel Music - will premiere onTV One on Sunday, March 6 at 6 p.m. ET (encores at 8 p.m. & 10 p.m. ET) and in syndication on 150 stations in over 125 markets throughout the country from March 12-April 10.
During the show, Stellar Gospel Music Awards Founder Don Jackson and multiple nominee Erica Campbell will bestow the Stellar Honors, a special award, upon living legends Tramaine Hawkins, Yolanda Adams, Marvin Sapp andcomedian/actor Jonathan Slocumb. The Allstate James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented by Pastor Shirley Caesar, posthumously to Grammy Award-winner O'landa Draper with riveting tribute performances by Donald Lawrence, Hezekiah Walker and Ricky Dillard. Joe Ligon, founder and lead vocalist of the Mighty Clouds of Joy, will also receive the Chevrolet Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones Legends Award presented by Dr. Bobby Jones himself.
Anthony Brown & Group Therapy, Brian Courtney Wilson, Tasha Cobbs, Casey J, Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago, Hezekiah Walker, Kirk Franklin, Travis Greene and William McDowell will also provide inspirational performances throughout the evening.
The top nominees for the 2016 Stellar Gospel Music Awards, which were announced earlier this year, are Anthony Brown & Group Therapy (10); Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago (8); Erica Campbell (8); Tasha Cobbs (6); Richard Smallwood (5); Israel & New Breed (4); Jonathan McReynolds (4); Casey J (3); Tina Campbell (3); Dorinda Clarke Cole (3); and The Rance Allen Group (3). For a complete list of this year's nominees, please visitwww.thestellarawards.com.
The taping of the 31st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards onSaturday, Feb. 20, is open to the public. Ticket prices range from $50-$200 at www.orleansarena.com. The Stellar Gospel Music Awards Pre-Show will occur the day before on Friday, Feb. 19, to celebrate non-televised awards winners, and the Stellar Gospel Radio Awards & Showcase, honoring top radio stations and announcers serving urban gospel music audiences, will follow on Saturday, Feb. 20. Tickets for each of these events are $35. Additional information and updates are available by following the Stellar Awards on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.