Kirk Franklin Set to Host the 41st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards in Charlotte
John P. Kee and Kim Person Lead This Year’s Nominations with Seven Each
Central City Productions has announced the nominees for the 41st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards, returning to Charlotte, North Carolina, for another celebration of gospel music excellence.
Known as the “Greatest Night in Gospel Music,” the 41st Stellar Awards will be taped live on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte. This year’s show will be hosted by 45-time Stellar Award winner and 20-time GRAMMY Award winner Kirk Franklin.
Presented under the theme “Feels Like Home,” the celebration will feature powerful performances, special honors, tributes, and unforgettable moments recognizing both gospel legends and rising voices.
John P. Kee and Kim Person lead this year’s nominations with seven each. Tasha Cobbs Leonard and JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise follow with six nominations each, while Jekalyn Carr, Lisa Knowles Smith & The Brown Singers, and Vincent Bohanan & SOV each earned five nominations.
The 2026 nominees span 31 categories, along with six Gospel Radio categories, honoring artists, writers, musicians, producers, radio personalities, and industry leaders shaping the sound and impact of gospel music.
The Stellar Awards Pre-Show and Gospel Radio Awards will take place Friday, August 14, at the Carolina Theatre in Charlotte, with the STELLAR PLUS EXPERIENCE running August 12–15 and featuring master classes, unplugged performances, a songwriters symposium, comedy experience, vendor marketplace, and more.
Tickets for the 41st Stellar Gospel Music Awards taping are available now at StellarAwards.com. The full list of nominees is also available on the official Stellar Awards website.
For more information, visit StellarAwards.com and join the conversation using #TheStellars.
41st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards Nominees
Artist of the Year
Darrel Walls — Heart of Mine — Tyscot Records / Gumbo Studios
Jekalyn Carr — Jekalyn X The Legends — Waynorth Music
Kim Person — Reflections — Blockbuster Records / KLP Music Enterprise
Tasha Cobbs Leonard — TASHA — Motown Gospel / TeeLee Records
Tye Tribbett — Only On The Road (Live) — Motown Gospel / Freligious Music
Song of the Year
“Able” featuring Kim Burrell — Paul Sylvester Morton Jr. — Tyscot Records / Gumbo Studios
“Come Jesus Come” — Stephen McWhirter, Tara McWhirter, Hank Bentley, and Bryan Fowler — Pure Springs Gospel / Fair Trade Services
“On The Way Remix” featuring Erica Campbell — Adia Andrews, Karl Powell, Michael McClure Jr., Jeremy James, Jaicko Raphael Lawrence, Israel Allen, and Erica Campbell — Rock City Media Group
“Promises (Live)” — Alescia Knowles-Smith — EvoWorld Entertainment
“Your Love” — Kim Person — Blockbuster Records / KLP Music Enterprise
Male Artist of the Year
Asaun Bynum — True To Him — Blockbuster Records / LRAE Entertainment
Darrel Walls — Heart of Mine — Tyscot Records / Gumbo Studios
John P. Kee — Throwback: An Evening with John P. Kee Part I — Kee Music Group / Tyscot Records
Jonathan McReynolds — Still (Live) featuring Jamal Roberts — Motown Gospel / Life Room Label
Tye Tribbett — Only On The Road (Live) — Motown Gospel / Freligious Music
Albertina Walker Female Artist of the Year
Adia — On The Way EP — Rock City Media Group
Jekalyn Carr — Jekalyn X The Legends — Waynorth Music
Kim Person — Reflections — Blockbuster Records / KLP Music Enterprise
Lisa Knowles Smith — Revival: Live in Dallas — EvoWorld Entertainment
Maranda Curtis — Worship Restored — ButterflyWorks / Red Alliance Media
Tasha Cobbs Leonard — TASHA — Motown Gospel / TeeLee Records
Duo/Chorus Group of the Year
Asaun Bynum featuring LeekGoHard — “Jesus I Love You” — Blockbuster Records / LRAE Entertainment
CeCe Winans & Pastor Shirley Caesar — “Come Jesus Come” — Pure Springs Gospel / Fair Trade Services
Jason Clayborn x Melvin Crispell III — “Whatever It Is” — Jay Clay Music / Tyscot
Jonathan McReynolds featuring Jamal Roberts — “Still (Live)” — Motown Gospel / Life Room Label
Lisa Knowles Smith & The Brown Singers — Revival: Live in Dallas — EvoWorld Entertainment
New Artist of the Year
Ablaze — Ablaze — Independent
Asaun Bynum — True To Him — Blockbuster Records / LRAE Entertainment
Bishop Charles Ellis & Greater Grace Worship Choir — Bishop Charles Ellis & Greater Grace Worship Choir — Graceful Records
United Music & Arts Conference Choir — “Clap Your Hands” featuring Beverly Crawford & Craig Hayes — High C
Album of the Year
Heart of Mine — Darrel Walls — Tyscot Records / Gumbo Studios
Live in New York — Vincent Bohanan & SOV — Independent
Reflections — Kim Person — Blockbuster Records / KLP Music Enterprise
TASHA — Tasha Cobbs Leonard — Motown Gospel / TeeLee Records
Choir of the Year
B. Chase Williams & Shabach — Secret Place — Millie’s Boy Muzik
JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise — The Live Reunion: Washington, DC — Motown Gospel / Jamestown Music
John P. Kee & New Life — Throwback: An Evening with John P. Kee Part I — Kee Music Group / Tyscot Records
Vincent Bohanan & SOV — Live in New York — Independent
Producer of the Year
Alescia Knowles-Smith & Frederick Perry — Revival: Live in Dallas by Lisa Knowles & The Brown Singers — EvoWorld Entertainment
Donald Lawrence & Cedric Thompson — Global Love Alive (London) — Platoon
Kim Person & Phillip Bryant — Reflections — Blockbuster Records / KLP Music Enterprise
PJ Morton — Heart of Mine by Darrel Walls — Tyscot Records / Gumbo Studios
Contemporary Duo/Chorus Group of the Year
Deitrick Haddon & Voices of Unity — Chain Breaker 2.5 — ManHaddon Ministries / Tyscot Records
Jason Clayborn x Melvin Crispell III — “Whatever It Is” — Jay Clay Music / Tyscot
Jonathan McReynolds featuring Jamal Roberts — “Still (Live)” — Motown Gospel / Life Room Label
Mariah Carey featuring The Clark Sisters — “Jesus I Do” — MARIAH / gamma.
Red Hands — Red Hands — Black Suit Music / Anderson Music Group / TAMLA Records
Tasha Cobbs Leonard featuring John Legend — “Church” — Motown Gospel / TeeLee Records
The Group Fire — “I Can Count On You” — Jet Records North / East
Traditional Duo/Chorus Group of the Year
Brandon Camphor & One Way — “In Christ Alone” — TOMii Entertainment
Darrel Petties & Take 2 — “Word” — Independent
Lucinda Moore featuring Bishop Paul S. Morton — “Someone Who Cares (The LaLa Song)” — Nalah Music Group / New Day Christian Distributor
Ron Carter & Ricky Dillard — “Sweet, Sweet Spirit” — Motown Gospel / Blue Note Records
Contemporary Male Artist of the Year
Darrel Walls — Heart of Mine — Tyscot Records / Gumbo Studios
Jonathan McReynolds — Still (Live) featuring Jamal Roberts — Motown Gospel / Life Room Label
Thomas Ware — The Book of Thomas — Blockbuster Records / CHMG Music Group
Zacardi Cortez — Ibhar: The Journey (Chapter 2) — Blacksmoke Music
Traditional Male Artist of the Year
E. Dewey Smith — Songs Daddy Used To Sing — Pebble Street Records
Earnest Pugh — We Wanna See You, Vol. 1 Live — Blacksmoke Music Worldwide
JJ Hairston — The Live Reunion: Washington, DC — Motown Gospel / Jamestown Music
John P. Kee — Throwback: An Evening with John P. Kee Part I — Kee Music Group / Tyscot Records
Contemporary Female Artist of the Year
Adia — On The Way EP — Rock City Media Group
Crystal Aikin — “Lord I Need Your Help” — Godshand Management Services LLC / Mixed Bag Entertainment
Erica Campbell — “Trust and Obey - London” — My Block Records Inc.
Kim Person — Reflections — Blockbuster Records / KLP Music Enterprise
Nia Allen — “Lord I Love You” — Lewis-Kortez Group
Tasha Cobbs Leonard — TASHA — Motown Gospel / TeeLee Records
Traditional Female Artist of the Year
Blanche McAllister-Dykes — “Words” by Donald Lawrence — Platoon
Bobbi Lane — “He Never Failed Me” featuring Paul Porter — Taylor Music Group
K. Jeanette — “Jesus Is My Friend” featuring Shawn Bigby — Devine Records
Lucinda Moore — “Someone Who Cares (The LaLa Song)” featuring Bishop Paul S. Morton — Nalah Music Group / New Day Christian Distributor
Contemporary Album of the Year
Fred Hammond Presents Sensere: The Soul Of Future Worship Vol. II — Sensere — Wrightsound M&E
Live in New York — Vincent Bohanan & SOV — Independent
TASHA — Tasha Cobbs Leonard — Motown Gospel / TeeLee Records
The Book of Thomas — Thomas Ware — Blockbuster Records / CHMG Music Group
Traditional Album of the Year
Jekalyn X The Legends — Jekalyn Carr — Waynorth Music
Sweet, Sweet Spirit — Ron Carter & Ricky Dillard — Motown Gospel / Blue Note Records
The Live Reunion: Washington, DC — JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise — Motown Gospel / Jamestown Music
Throwback: An Evening with John P. Kee Part I — John P. Kee & New Life — Kee Music Group / Tyscot Records
Urban Single or Performance of the Year
“Church Parking Lot” featuring Tasha Page-Lockhart — Otis Kemp — Revive 5.0 Entertainment
“Do It Again” — Kirk Franklin — Fo Yo Soul Recordings / Tribl Records
“Jesus I Love You” — Asaun Bynum featuring LeekGoHard — Blockbuster Records / LRAE Entertainment
“Make A Way” — VaShawn Mitchell — VMan Entertainment / Fair Trade Services
“On The Way Remix” featuring Erica Campbell — Adia — Rock City Media Group
“The Light” — Jor’Dan Armstrong — Jor’Dan Armstrong Music / Lewis-Kortez Group
Music Video of the Year
“I Am Happy” — Allen Carr & Jekalyn Carr — Waynorth Music
“Find Jesus” — Deitrick Haddon — ManHaddon Ministries / Tyscot Records
“You Matter” — Maurice Griffin — World Changing Entertainment
“On The Way Remix” by Adia featuring Erica Campbell — Will Thomas — Rock City Media
Traditional Choir of the Year
B. Chase Williams & Shabach — Secret Place — Millie’s Boy Muzik
Bishop Brian D. Moore & The Life Center Choir — Always Come Through — Independent
JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise — The Live Reunion: Washington, DC — Motown Gospel / Jamestown Music
John P. Kee & New Life — Throwback: An Evening with John P. Kee Part I — Kee Music Group / Tyscot Records
Contemporary Choir of the Year
Ablaze — Ablaze — Independent
Johnny Sanders featuring Faith On Full — “A Song” — Just 1 Global Productions / Johnny Sanders Presents LLC
Sounds of Blackness featuring Jamecia Bennett, NUNNABOVE, and Atlanta Drum Academy — “We’re Unstoppable” — Sounds of Blackness / AtomicK Records
Vincent Bohanan & SOV — Live in New York — Independent
Voices of Fire — Ophanim — EZ FLO Innovations LLC / PW Music / Warner Records
Traditional Artist of the Year
E. Dewey Smith — Songs Daddy Used To Sing — Pebble Street Records
Jekalyn Carr — Jekalyn X The Legends — Waynorth Music
JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise — The Live Reunion: Washington, DC — Motown Gospel / Jamestown Music
John P. Kee & New Life — Throwback: An Evening with John P. Kee Part I — Kee Music Group / Tyscot Records
Special Event Album of the Year
Bishop S.Y. Younger Presents: Almost Home - A Ramp Record with Friends — Bishop S.Y. Younger — Ramp Records, under exclusive license to MNRK Records LP
Live in New York — Vincent Bohanan & SOV — Independent
Sweet, Sweet Spirit — Ron Carter & Ricky Dillard — Motown Gospel / Blue Note Records
Throwback: An Evening with John P. Kee Part I — John P. Kee & New Life — Kee Music Group / Tyscot Records
Rap/Hip Hop Gospel Album of the Year
All We Like Sheep — Childlike CiCi — Capitol Christian Music Group / TAMLA
Party in Heaven — Mike Teezy — MTEntertainment, LLC
Reconstruction — Lecrae — Reach Records
Walking with Purpose — DFG SUL — Independent
Youth Project of the Year
AMG Kidz x Wilson World — Boombox — Anderson Music Group / TAMLA Records
Janessa Smith — Lift Him — Inspired Recording
Pure N Heart — Alphaeus Anderson Presents Pure N Heart Celebrate Jesus 20yrs — Music2ChangeU
Quartet of the Year
Lisa Knowles Smith & The Brown Singers — Revival: Live in Dallas — EvoWorld Entertainment
The Flying Clouds of South Carolina — “Don’t Leave Me” — Blockbuster Records
The Gospel Legends — “Jesus Is The Man” — 4Winds / Malaco Records
Tim White — Help Live In Chicago — Independent
Recorded Music Packaging of the Year
Brianna Dowd & JJ Hairston — The Live Reunion — Motown Gospel / Jamestown Music
Kim Person & JP Designs Art — Reflections — Blockbuster Records / KLP Music Enterprise
Octavius Holmes — Jekalyn Carr x The Legends — Waynorth Music
PJ Morton — Heart of Mine by Darrel Walls — Tyscot Records / Gumbo Studios
Praise and Worship Album of the Year
Coritos Vol. 1 — Israel & New Breed — Integrity Music / District 11
Jesus Over Everything (Live in Las Vegas) — Naomi Raine — Tribl Records
Promises — Todd Dulaney — DulaneyLand Music / Fair Trade Services
Worship Restored — Maranda Curtis — ButterflyWorks / Red Alliance Media
Praise and Worship Song of the Year
“Be Glad” — Naomi Raine — Tribl Records
“Bless Your Name” — Maranda Curtis — ButterflyWorks / Red Alliance Media
“Proverbs 3” — Todd Dulaney — DulaneyLand Music / Fair Trade Services
“Your Name” — Jovonta Patton — Newton Street Entertainment / Integrity
Rap/Hip Hop Song of the Year
“Headphones” — Lecrae featuring T.I. & Killer Mike — Reach Records
“Move It!” — 1K Phew featuring Forrest Frank & 1K Pson — Reach Records
“Movin” — JustCordell — Rock City Media Group
“10X My Blessings” — Jevon Dewand & The Trap Starz featuring Isaac Carree, Jazze Pha, Gaz Money, and Blanco Brown — Blacksmoke Music Worldwide
HBCU Choir of the Year
Howard Gospel Choir of Howard University featuring Damien Sneed & The Levites and Kierra Sheard Kelly
Morgan State University Choir
NCA&T Fellowship Gospel Choir
Southern University Gospel Choir featuring Cameron Blain
The Fort Valley State University Choir featuring Loren Michelle & Tiffany Boone
Gospel Radio of the Year Nominees
Top Market of the Year
WPZE Praise 102.5 — Atlanta
WPZS 102.5 and 610AM — Charlotte
WFTB 104.1 — Nashville
WPRS Praise 92.7 / 95.9 — Washington, DC
Medium Market of the Year
WDEK Columbia’s Praise 95.7 / 1170 AM — Columbia
WFMV 96.1FM / 620AM — Columbia
WXHL 89.1 FM Reach Gospel Radio — Wilmington
KFFH 93.7 FM — North Little Rock
Small Market of the Year
WWDA FM 101.9 — Clarksville
WRNP 94.1 FM — Ft. Wayne
WEHA 88.7FM / 100.3 — Atlantic City
WKTT 97.5 FM — Salisbury
Internet Station of the Year
Black Gospel Radio — BlackGospelRadio.net
Hands Up Radio — handsupradio.org
WTRC Praise 98.3 — live365.com/station/a33136
WVTC Detroit — wvtcdetroit.com
Syndicated Gospel Radio Show of the Year
Get Up! Mornings with Erica Campbell — Erica Campbell with Arlen “Griff” Griffin and Cheryl Jackson
The Bobby Parker Show — Bobby Parker
The Tracy Morgan Show — Tracy Morgan
Willie Moore Jr. — Willie Moore Jr.
Gospel Announcer of the Year
Anna Johnson — WFLT 1420 AM, Flint, MI
Neiko Flowers — WPZE 102.5, Atlanta, GA
Pam Dixon — WEAM 100.7, Columbus, GA
Trey Nickelson — WBZF-FM Glory 98.5, Florence, SC
The 41st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards will continue the legacy of honoring the artists, choirs, creatives, and radio professionals who help advance gospel music across generations.