Today Central City Productions announced the nominees for the 35th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards. Gospel artists Jonathan McReynolds and Koryn Hawthorne will host the celebration together for the first time.

Stellar Awards Founder and Chairman Don Jackson expressed his excitement about this year’s show, which will be recorded in Las Vegas on March 27.

“I am elated to celebrate this landmark 35th year of the Stellar Gospel Music Awards. Our flagship show is now one of the longest-running nationally televised African American awards programs in history,” Jackson commented. “We are proud to honor Gospel music artists and industry professionals for their priceless contributions to Gospel music. We look forward to another spectacular weekend of family-friendly entertainment in Las Vegas.”

Each year the Stellar Awards recognize the year’s best performances in Gospel music, as well as honor Gospel music icons and acknowledge the accomplishments of those advocating for the industry. Gospel legend Donald Lawrence leads the field with nine nominations. He and music producer Kirk Franklin, who received eight nominations, were both nominated in the categories of 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 fifteen-time Stellar Award-winning group The Clark Sisters will receive the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award. This is not the first time the sisters have been honored by the Stellars. In 2007 they received the Thomas A Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Recipients.

This year’s James Cleveland honor comes only months before Lifetime is set to release a new biopic on the iconic group, The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel, which will broadcast Easter weekend on April 11 at 8 pm.

The Stellars will also provide dynamic performances from the some of the biggest names in gospel music. Not only are both McReynolds and Hawthorn performing, but other popular artists like Hezekiah Walker, Charles Jenkins, Kirk Franklin, Erica Campbell, Toddy Dulaney, and Jekayln Carr are sure to bring the house down.

For more information on the Stellars and for the full list of nominees, visit www.thestellarawards.com

 

(Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Stellar Awards)