Next month the hottest names in gospel music will gather at the Las Vegas Orleans Arena for the 35th Annual Stellar Awards. Today, Central City Productions announced the list of dynamic artists set to perform during the celebration.

Crowd favorites like Travis Greene, Kierra Sheard, Donnie McClurkin, J.J. Hairston & Youthful Praise, Maranda Curtis, William Murphy, Zacardi Cortez, James Fortune, Pastor Mike Jr., The Walls Group, and Doe are all slated to perform during the “greatest night in gospel music.” Other performers will be announced later.

The legendary Clark Sisters are the recipients of this year’s James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award. They will celebrate by performing a rousing set featuring some of their most notable hits. The iconic group collectively holds 15 Stellars awards in addition to the Thomas Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award.

Other industry legends are being honored during the ceremony as well. The Aretha Franklin Icon Award will be presented to Lady Tramaine Hawkins. Multiple Stellar Award-winner Pastor Shirley Caesar will receive the Dr. Bobby Jones Legends Award, and the Thomas A. Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award will go to Dr. Leonard Scott, founder of Tyscot Records.

Taking the reigns for the first time as co-hosts this year are two of Gospel’s breakthrough artists who have established themselves as part of the ‘new guard’ shaping contemporary Gospel music — Koryn Hawthorne and Jonathan McReynolds.

“Words can’t describe my excitement for this moment! I’m honored that the Stellars chose me to do this next to Jonathan McReynolds, who I love dearly,” Hawthorne said in a statement obtained by Ambo TV. “We’re going to bring a fresh vibe to the stage and it’s gonna be lit!”

McReynolds is equally as excited about hosting the ceremony. He admitted that this opportunity is beyond what he could have imagined.

“I still remember sitting in the upper deck looking in awe down at a stage I never thought I’d sing on, never thought I’d play on, never thought I’d win on,” shared McReynolds. “7 years later I’m hosting. Mind blown!”

Gospel legend Donald Lawrence leads the field with nine nominations. He and music producer Kirk Franklin, who received eight nominations, were nominated in several overlapping categories, including Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Producer of the Year, Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year, Contemporary Album of the Year, Urban/Inspirational Single or Performance of the Year, and Song of the Year.

Other top nominees include Tasha Cobbs Leonard with eight nominations, J.J. Hariston with seven nominations and Bishop Paul Morton with six nominations.

The show will premiere on BET Networks (simulcast on BET HER) on April 5 at 8 p.m. ET with an encore at 10 p.m. ET, and air in broadcast syndication in more than 216 markets around the country from April 11 – May 17, 2020.

 

(Photos: Central City Productions)