The Orleans Hotel and Arena was blessed by the best again as the 31st Annual Stellar Awards was held at their gorgeous facility for the second year in a row. Stellar Awards creator Donald Jackson and his staff from Central City Productions located in Chicago, pulled out all the stops to welcome the Gospel Community’s greatest contributors along with their celebrity friends and fans. EarHustle411’s Media Correspondents SunShyne and Redd were right in the midst of all the action on the Red Carpet. We talked with some of the Gospel community’s elite artists like Donnie McClurkin, Bobby Jones, Lonnie Hunter, Tremaine Hawkins and Richard Smallwood as well as other talented artists attending the festivities like social media sensation James Chanel Wright, Best New Artist Nominee Geoffrey Golden, Lexi, Jekalyn Carr, Latrice and Chicago’s Own Charles Jenkins.
This year’s list of nominees was as long as it was impressive. From Tina and Erica Campbell and Tasha Cobbs in the Female Vocalist of the Year category to Gerald & Tammi Haddon, Casey J and Pastor Marlon Lock in the New Artist of the Year category and all that falls in between. One artist made history this year, Anthony Brown had in astounding 10 nominations in several categories a feat that had not been done since Marvin Sapp had an impressive 6 nominations back in 2013. Our prediction is that Anthony Brown will most certainly continue to make history.
It was also a pleasure seeing members of the entertainment industry like LeToya Luckett and Wendy Raquel Robinson come out and share in the day’s events in support of their favorite gospel artist and to celebrate an event commonly referred to as the “Gospel Grammys” created by one man who had a vision and brought it to life back in 1985. The Stellar Awards steps its game up each and every year and there’s no sign of slowing down.
The 31st Annual Stellar Awards was taped on February 20, 2016 and is scheduled to premier on Sunday, March 6, 2016 on the TVOne Network at 6pm EST. It is surely to be a phenomenal production hosted by funny man comedian Rickey Smiley and TV beauty and comedienne Sherri Shepherd. We strongly suggest taking a few hours out to check out the hard work out in to this program and shout in a joyous praise for your favorite artist.
Follow the Stellars on social media