Elated guests enjoyed an unparalleled afternoon of fellowship and praise as scorching live musical performances paid homage to the honorees. BMI President & CEO Del Bryant also presented an award to esteemed songwriter Percy Bady for penning gospel's most-performed song of 2007, "Um Good." Recorded by Grammy Award-winner Smokie Norful, the tune is the first single from Norful's critically-acclaimed October 2007 release Life Changing. Top gospel artists J. Moss, Kelly Price and Dave Hollister performed harmonious tributes to contemporary and traditional gospel bridge builder Vanessa Bell Armstrong; legendary Mighty Clouds of Joy received rousing musical laudation through performances by Keith "Wonderboy" Johnson and Rance Allen, who was also joined on stage by the Mighty Clouds members for a jaw-dropping encore; and Pastor Marvin Winans received his musical salute courtesy of Grammy-nominated vocalist Anthony Hamilton, songwriter/musician Tommy Simms, 2007 Trailblazers honoree Fred Hammond and Lowell Pye. Performances by Marvin "Coconut" Winans, Jr., Dorinda Clark Cole and Smokie Norful created additional spine-tingling moments, while elite director Donald Lawrence led an all-star background choir.

BMI's Catherine Brewton praised the humbling dedication of the guests and honorees, saying, "BMI is extremely proud of you and all that you do to advance the Kingdom of God through gospel music. The Mighty Clouds of Joy, Vanessa Bell Armstrong and Pastor Marvin Winans: We come together to salute these trailblazers - pioneers who continue to bring us the truth of gospel music."

“I wanted a sound that would come out of here that would say familiar, but fresh,” he says of his eighth studio album, which he feels combines both Motown and Texas flavors. “That’s what I believe we accomplished with new vocals and new musicians.”

Hammond was also inspired by the teachings of his pastor, Bishop T.D. Jakes. “I wanted people to be able to hear the seeds that he planted in me over the last year,” says Hammond. “I followed him for many years, but now I’m up under him and I wanted people to hear what I’ve learned. I come to church and I sit and get replenished.”

Hammond has long been an innovator in gospel music. He was an integral part of the ground-breaking group Commissioned and, after retiring from that group in 1995, he went on to launch Radical for Christ. His résumé also includes a stint with the Winans as well as his successful run as a solo artist. Along the way, he’s earned a reputation as “the Babyface of gospel music” for his working in mentoring and producing other artists.

Songwriting has always been a key weapon in Hammond’s arsenal of talents. “It’s really how I convey what’s on the inside and what I’ve been through,” says Hammond, who has his own F. Hammond Music imprint. “I like to keep that simple and I’ve learned to write the way that I talk. Instead of writing in way that’s above everybody’s head or trying to impress people with words and phrases that are very flowery, I like to break it down and make it very, very easy.”

photos: Arnold Turner

Gospel matriarch Albertina Walker and her group The Caravans, torch-carriers including Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin, Mary Mary and The Clark Sisters, along with stars on the rise Lil iROCC and Trinitee 5:7 were among the multi-generational crew on hand to pay tribute to Hammond and Adams. Robust praise saturated the air as attendees celebrated two special lives, both in song and testimony.

The 22nd Annual Stellar Awards were held the next day, saluting the genre’s best of 2006. BMI affiliates took home trophy after trophy, enjoying a special night of reflection and fellowship with peers and fans.

BMI’s 2007 Stellar Award Winners:

Artist of the Year

Donald Lawrence presents The Tri-City Singers

Song of the Year (Songwriter; Song; Label)

Isaiah D. Thomas; “I Will Bless The Lord”; GospoCentric

Choir of the Year

Donald Lawrence presents The Tri-City Singers

Producer of the Year

Donald Lawrence

Group/Duo of the Year

Myron Butler & Levi

New Artist of the Year

Myron Butler & Levi

Male Vocalist of the Year

Myron Butler

Female Vocalist of the Year

Dorinda Clark-Cole

Contemporary Group / Duo of the Year

Myron Butler & Levi

CD of the Year

Kirk Franklin

Hero

Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year

CeCe Winans

Contemporary CD of the Year

Donald Lawrence presents The Tri-City Singers

Finale: Act One

Traditional CD of the Year

New Life Community Choir featuring John. P. Kee

The Reunion

Contemporary Choir of the Year

Donald Lawrence presents The Tri-City Singers

Instrumental CD of the Year

Ramsey Lewis

With One Voice

Special Event CD of the Year

Donald Lawrence presents The Tri-City Singers

Finale: Act One

Quartet of the Year

Keith Wonderboy Johnson & The Spiritual Voicess

Music Video of the Year (artist, song/CD title, label)

Donald Lawrence presents The Tri-City Singers

Finale: Act One

EMI Gospel

Recorded Music Package of the Year (art credit / album (artist) / label)

Philpott Design (art direction and design)

Jay Blakesberg (photography)

Donald Lawrence presents the Tri City Singers

Finale: Act One; EMI Gospel

Praise and Worship CD of the Year

Kevin Burroughs Neeley

Fingers of Fire - Volume 1

Yolanda Adams, who was recently nominated for two Grammys, earned a living as a school teacher in Houston, Texas, during the 1980s, while her striking beauty also supplied her with work in the modeling industry. Adams' debut album, Just As I Am, hit shelves in 1988, ushering in a bright new star on the forefront of gospel music. 1996's Yolanda Live in Washington earned the soulful singer her first Grammy nomination, while her next album, Mountain High Valley Low, snagged the performer her first Grammy Award. Since 2000, Adams has delivered the Lord's message to the masses on two more beautiful albums, showcasing both her unparalleled talent and devotion.

Detroit native Fred Hammond is one of the most beloved praise and worship leaders in the gospel music genre. His studio albums take on the alive, emotive feel of a concert. Like so many before him, Hammond developed his passion for song in the church choir at age 12. After playing bass and supplying vocals for the Winans during the early 1980s, Fred joined the group Commissioned, where he showcased his unique arrangements and grew as a producer, vocalist and songwriter. While Fred remained a member of Commissioned, intricately crafted solo albums like I Am Persuaded, Purpose By Design and In Case You Missed It...And Then Some hit shelves, cementing Hammond's position as one of recent history's premier gospel music artists.

The 22nd Annual Stellar Awards will be held the day after the BMI Trailblazers Luncheon, on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007, at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. The awards show, celebrating the year in gospel music, is produced by Chicago-based Central City Productions. Nominations are received and voted on by the Stellar Awards Gospel Music Academy (SAGMA), made up of members who encourage and promote gospel music worldwide.

The CCA introduced their WorshipCast License on Oct. 1 and it is designed to provide churches a legal right to webcast worship music performed by a church's praise/worship team.

"Worship music is a cornerstone in the U.S. and we're happy to help support the further growth with the Church Copyright Administration," said BMI's Scott Andrews, Executive Director, New Media Licensing. "Their WorshipCast service is a unique and trend-setting program that will benefit the Christian music and publishing industries through performance royalties. We're proud to be a partner with this organization and to help grow the marketplace for the genre."

"Through the support of BMI, we are able to help facilitate the commitment by churches to be copyright compliant," says CCA President Susan Fontaine Godwin, a 22-year veteran in Christian music publishing and church copyright administration. "Through our internet streaming site, WorshipCast, we are able to offer a one-stop license that will help simplify the legal use of music on church websites. It is a groundbreaking endeavor for the CCA and we appreciate all of BMI's help and support in the Christian music industry on behalf of their songwriter and composer affiliates."

CCA's WorshipCast License, continuing the company's proactive position concerning the legal, effective use of current technology, offers one form for enrollment with all three of American PROs, access to CCA's exclusive CopyrightSolver database, an online, user-friendly form for posting internet usage activities, and simplified accounting and reporting procedures. WorshipCast License specifics are accessed via e-mail to internetinfo@churchca.com or a call to 251-929-2404.

CCA offers administration, consultation and education services to a client base that includes Saddleback Church, Willow Creek Church, and Christian ministries and businesses like International Mission Board and Sermonspice. Clients obtain clearances for copyright uses not covered by other industry licenses through CopyrightSolver, streamlining and automating the process while giving clients personal control and immediate information about their project orders. Full Service and Per Project administration plans, plus personal On-Site Consultation, are CCA services designed to meet the needs of individual clients.

BMI has been involved in sacred music throughout its history and licenses the work of such classic songwriters as Thomas Dorsey ("Precious Lord") and Steven Curtis Chapman. Some of the many Christian and gospel songwriters, composers and publishers it represents include The Hemphills, Kirk Franklin, Jars of Clay, Carman, TD Jakes, The Isaacs, BeBe & CeCe Winans, Yolanda Adams, Joyce Martin, Donald Lawrence, Dottie Peoples, Dorinda Clark-Cole, Rebecca St. James, Fred Hammond, Jeff Steele, John P Kee, Tait, Kim Burrell, Jeff & Sheri Easter, Donnie McClurkin, Wayne Haun, Deitrick Haddon, Mike Bowling, Vickie Winans, Audio Adrenaline, Albertina Walker, Skillet, Walter Hawkins, Grits, Rance Allen, Larnelle Harris and LaSHUN Pace.

Aaron Sprinkle	Relient K	Ed Cash

Singer/songwriter/producer Aaron Sprinkle was showered with the most praise, earning eight nominations for his work with artists in a variety of categories, including pop/contemporary, rap/hip-hop and worship. Three of his nominations are for CD compilations that will compete for Special Event Album of the Year, including Happy Christmas Volume Four, Music Inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and WoW Christmas Green.

Casting Crowns	Steven Curtis Chapman

Pop-punk outfit Relient K came in with six nods, earning two for "Be My Escape," two for their album Mmhmm, and two as contributing artists on a pair of Special Event Album nominees.

Earning five nominations apiece were Christian rock band Casting Crowns, who will vie for Group and Artist of the Year; alt-rock group Switchfoot, whose Nothing Is Sound is up for Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year; and 2005's Producer of the Year Ed Cash, who hopes for a repeat win in that category.

Crabb Family	Jars of Clay	Wayne Haun

Southern gospel veterans the Crabb Family also took home five GMA nominations, with individual family members Gerald, Jason, Adam and Aaron each earning their own multiple nods.

Casting Crowns' lead singer Mark Hall picked up a total of four solo mentions, including two Song of the Year nominations for the hits "Lifesong" and "Voice of Truth." Pop/rock quartet Jars of Clay, producer Wayne Haun and Relient K frontman Matthew Theissen rounded out the quadruple nominees list.

CeCe Winans	Toby McKeehan	Switchfoot

BMI award-winning artist/songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman, who has collected 49 Dove Awards to date -- more than any other artist in gospel music history -- has a chance to pass the 50-trophy mark this year if any of his three nominations results in win.

Also earning triple nominations were 13-time GMA Award winner Lari Goss, gospel producer Sanchez Harley and church group Israel & New Breed; leader Israel Houghton is up for five of his own GMAs.

Other BMI nominees included double earners Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Vince Gill, Grits, Kids In The Way, Dave Moody, tobyMac (Toby McKeehan) and CeCe Winans, as well as Yolanda Adams, Blind Boys of Alabama, Building 429, Fred Hammond, Rodney Jerkins, Lewis Family, Donnie McClurkin, Martha Munizzi, Dottie Peoples and George Teren, who is also up for a 2006 ACM Award.

Songwriter of the Year contenders will be revealed, along with the winner, at the 37th Annual GMA Music Awards ceremony, to be hosted by 2006 Dove nominees Rebecca St. James and Kirk Franklin. The recorded show will be televised in national syndication from April 15 to May 21.

Founded in 1964, the 4,500-member Gospel Music Association is dedicated to exposing, promoting and celebrating the gospel through music. The GMA represents all styles of gospel music including contemporary pop, rock, urban gospel, praise & worship, Southern gospel, country and children's gospel music. The GMA produces the GMA Music Awards, which recognize achievement in all genres of gospel music and are voted on by members of the GMA.

BMI's 2006 GMA Awards Nominees:

8 Nominations
Aaron Sprinkle

6 Nominations
Relient K

5 Nominations
Ed Cash
Casting Crowns
The Crabb Family
Israel Houghton
Aaron W. Lindsey
Otto Price
Switchfoot

4 Nominations
Mark Hall
Dan Haseltine
Wayne Haun
Jars of Clay
Charlie Lowell
Steve Mason
Matt Odmark
Matthew Theissen

3 Nominations
Steven Curtis Chapman
Jason Crabb
Lari Goss
Sanchez Harley
Israel & New Breed

2 Nominations
Alletrope Music
Kelly Bowling
Kurt Carr
Teron Carter
Club Zoo Music
Gerald Crabb
Adam Crabb
Aaron Crabb
Christopher Davis
Dizmas
Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
Jerome Fontamillas
Vince Gill
Percy Gray, Jr.
Grits
Stacy Jones
Mat Kearney
Kids In The Way
Ay'Ron Lewis
Dave Moody
NewSong
Ric Robbins
Rebecca St. James
SWECS Music
tobyMac (Toby McKeehan)
CeCe Winans

Other Nominees
Yolanda Adams
Duane Allen
Paul Allen
Rev. F.C. Barnes
Luther Barnes
Blind Boys of Alabama
Ronald Block
Kevin Bond
Paul Boutte
Damon Bracy
Brian Free & Assurance
Building 429
Kyle Bynoe
Marc Byrd
Champions for Christ Publishing
Dean Chance
John Chelew
Stan Dailey
Alvin Darling
Daywind Music Group
Hector Diaz
Chris Eaton
Kirk Franklin
Aaron Gillespie
Rob Graves
Kenny Greenberg
Greenberg Music
Fred Hammond
Tom Hemby
Rick Hendrix
George Huff
Steve Huff
Integrity's Praise! Music
Rodney Jerkins
Lee Jerkins
Fred Jerkins III
Don Koch
Jean-Luc Lajoie
Shawn Lane
Frank Lenz
Lewis Family
Robert Marvin
Donnie McClurkin
Annie McRae
McRaes
Nelson McSwain
Meaux Mercy
The Mighty Clouds of Joy
Buck Moore
Martha Munizzi
Michael Neale
Peach Hill Songs
Aaron Pearce
Dottie Peoples
Rizen
Roger Ryan
Carolyn Sanders
Belinda Smith
Sparrow Song
Spinning Audio Vortex
Ralph Stanley
Ralph Stanley II
Derrick Starks
Christopher Stevens
Marty Stuart
George Teren
Rev. Gerald Thompson
Anthony Vero
Reed Vertelney
Tommy Walker
Fred Washington
Mark Whitehead
BeBe Winans
Marcos Witt

"I took a lot of the songs that we sang in church that no one has sung in a long time and just brought them up to the foreground," he says. "If I could present them then the world would be turned onto them again and I could at least have contributed something before I leave."

McClurkin stunned the gospel industry this spring by announcing that he planned to retire from the music industry and concentrate on his role as pastor of the Perfecting Faith Church in Freeport, NY, which he founded four years ago. "I always knew I wasn't in this for the long term," he says of the music industry. "I've got too much more to do. There's too many more lives to help and there's a greater purpose and [the gospel music industry] is in good hands. It's in good hands with Kirk Franklin, Yolanda Adams, CeCe Winans and Fred Hammond."

Known as much for his warm, caring personality as his musical gifts, McClurkin overcame a childhood marked by abuse and an adult bout with leukemia to become one of the gospel community's most acclaimed artists. "I want to do like Carol Burnett did," he says of his retirement. "When she went off CBS, she went out on top of the ratings."

Indeed, Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs , and its companion DVD, reflect an artist at the top of his game. The project was recorded live at the Rock Church in Virginia Beach last year. "We had 5,600 people in there and 300 people that couldn't get in," recalls McClurkin. "It was a wonderful, wonderful time."

The double-CD set features several special guests, among them Dottie Peoples, Joann Rosario and Richard Smallwood. There's also a bonus track, a remake of the r&b classic "Ooh Child," featuring Donnie's pal Kirk Franklin. "There's a sense of fear and there's a sense of terror," McClurkin says of the turmoil in the world today. "This is a soothing song, like a lullaby, letting people know it's going to get easier."

McClurkin recently filmed a movie in Atlanta titled The Gospel , also starring Hezekiah Walker, Boris Kodjoe, Idris Elba and Nona Gaye. Written and directed by Rob Hardy, the film releases this October. He's also set to film another project, Hopeville , a 20th Century Fox comedy co-starring Franklin.

His biography, "From Darkness to Light: The Donnie McClurkin Story," came out last fall on DVD and has aired on BET.

McClurkin has one more album due for Verity Records, and then he'll turn his full attention to pastoring. He'll continue singing at his church, and has plans to record a project with his sisters and another with his church choir. He won a Gospel Music Association Dove Award this year for dueting with the Crabb Family on "Through the Fire." Before he retires, he says he'd love to record with Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael W. Smith and Third Day's Mac Powell.

"I want to cross all of these barriers before I leave," he says, "and hopefully to spark some of the other artists to have that as a desire too."

BMI saluted the writers and publishers of the past year's most performed Christian songs during the BMI Christian Music Awards held June 20, with highest honors reserved for Building 429's "Glory Defined" as Song of the Year and Mark Hall as Songwriter of the Year.

Christian Music Awards Photo Slideshow

Click here for the Christian Awards Song List

Click here to read Casting Crowns' Bio

Click here to read Building 429's Bio

Senior Vice President Phil Graham, Vice President Paul Corbin and Director Joyce Rice of BMI's Writer/Publisher Relations department presented BMI Citations of Achievement to 22 songs in five categories: AC (Adult Contemporary), CHR (Christian Hit Radio), Contemporary/Traditional Gospel, Rock and Southern Gospel.

Building 429	Mark Hall

Staged at the company's Music Row offices, the ceremonies featured special performances by Casting Crowns, Dottie Peoples, Legacy Five and George Rowe for the crowd of 250 writers, artists, and executives.

Casting Crowns

Jim Cooper and Jason Roy won the BMI Crystal for Most Performed Christian Song of the Year as writers of "Glory Defined." Published by Dayspring Music LLC, "Glory Defined" was recorded by Building 429 on their debut album Space In Between Us (Word Records). Roy is front man/guitarist and Cooper is producer of the group, which was named Top New Artist of 2005 by the Gospel Music Association. "Glory Defined" was recognized for AC and CHR airplay.

Dottie Peoples	Legacy Five

Mark Hall, lead singer of Casting Crowns, earned the title of BMI Christian Songwriter of the Year by collecting four BMI Citations of Achievement for writing "If We Are the Body" and "Who Am I," each included in the AC and CHR categories. Both songs are from Casting Crowns' self-titled, platinum debut on Beach Street/Reunion Records. This BMI honor caps an incredible two years for Hall and his group, which saw their first project reach platinum status. The Atlanta-area youth minister was also named Songwriter of the Year at the 2004 and 2005 Gospel Music Association Awards, with Casting Crowns chosen as the GMA's 2005 Group of the Year.

George Rowe	Jim Cooper	Jason Roy

In addition to Roy and Cooper, songwriters collecting two Citations each were Aaron Sprinkle in the Rock category ("Rawkfist" and "Sea of Faces") and AC-CHR winners Marc Byrd ("God of Wonders"), Kenny Greenberg ("More") and Brendan Graham [IMRO] ("You Raise Me Up").

Aaron Sprinkle	Marc Byrd

Other 2005 BMI award-winning songwriter/artists were rockers Pillar, John Cooper of Skillet, Michael Tait and Chad Chapin of Tait, and Thousand Foot Krutch; urban stars Fred Hammond and Keith "Wonderboy" Johnson; and Southern Gospel voices Gerald Crabb, Wayne Haun, Annie McRae and Rodney Griffin of Greater Vision.

Kenny Greenberg	Brendan Graham

The ceremony also announced the Publisher of the Year, which was a four-way tie among Christian Taylor Music, Club Zoo Music, Inc., SWECS Music and Songs of Greater Vision. The award is determined by the highest percentage of copyright ownership in award songs.

Club Zoo Music, Inc. (owned by Franklin Miller and Sawyer Brown's Mark Miller) and SWECS Music (owned by three-time BMI Christian Songwriter of the Year Steven Curtis Chapman) collected the honor for publishing the Casting Crowns hits "If We Are the Body" and "Who Am I."

Two Southern Gospel companies also accepted the accolade: Christian Taylor Music (owned by Dottie Miller) with "I Wish I Could Have Been There," "If It Had Not Been the Lord" and "Places To Go, People To See"; and Songs of Greater Vision (owned by Greater Vision group members Rodney Griffin and Gerald Wolfe) with "He Is To Me" and "Just Ask."

BMI's Citation of Achievement performance certificates are given annually in recognition of popularity in the field of popular music, as measured by feature broadcast performances on American radio and television. This year's Christian Music Awards eligibility period ran January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004.

Steven Curtis Chapman	Toby McKeehan	Kirk Franklin

Previous BMI Award winners include Songwriters of the Year Steven Curtis Chapman, Toby McKeehan, Kirk Franklin, Gerald Crabb, Bob Herdman and Audio Adrenaline's Will McGinniss and Mark Stuart, plus Dottie Peoples, Yolanda Adams, Rebecca St. James, Michael Tait, Jars of Clay, Jennifer Knapp, Skillet, Pillar, Marc Byrd, Chad Chapin, Rodney Griffin, Charlie Peacock, Fred Hammond, Donnie McClurkin, Relient K, and Joe Beck.

BMI's Citation of Achievement performance certificates are given annually in recognition of popularity in the field of Christian music, as measured by feature broadcast performances on American radio and television; this year's Christian Music Awards eligibility period ran January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004.