BMI Honors its 2020 Trailblazers of Gospel Music
“I’m Getting Ready” Written by Todd Galberth Awarded Song of the Year; Kirk Franklin Named Songwriter of the Year; Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing Awarded Publisher of the Year
The Top 20 Most Performed Gospel Songs of 2019 Were Also Recognized
BMI paid tribute to the best and brightest in Gospel music with its Trailblazers of Gospel Music celebration. The honorees were announced today on BMI.com and across the organization’s digital platforms, celebrating the inspirational and transformative music of BMI’s accomplished Gospel songwriters. To honor these achievements, BMI created a special page on its website where fans can watch special video messages and performances, listen to award-winning music and learn more about their favorite Gospel songwriters.
“BMI is proud to honor these remarkable luminaries of Gospel music,” said BMI Vice President Creative, Atlanta, Catherine Brewton. “Their music gives us strength and encouragement, and their voices are a source of comfort and healing when we need it most. We thank our songwriters for sharing their musical gifts that uplift, empower and encourage us all, as we unite in the movement for change, and we look forward to coming together in fellowship once again next year.”
Reverential hymn “I’m Getting Ready,” co-written by Todd Galberth, received the accolade for BMI’s Gospel Song of the Year. Performed by Tasha Cobbs Leonard, featuring Nicki Minaj, the song spent 52 weeks on Billboard’s Gospel charts and peaked at number one, earning Galberth one of BMI’s top honors and his very first BMI Gospel Award. Kirk Franklin received the coveted Songwriter of the Year title for writing three of BMI’s most performed Gospel songs of 2019, “If You Don’t Mind,” “Love Theory,” and “Never Alone.” The 16-time GRAMMY winner now has 17 BMI Awards to add to his collection of accolades including three BMI Gospel Song of the Year awards, BMI’s 2012 Trailblazers of Gospel Music honoree recognition and multiple Dove and Stellar awards, among many others. Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing received the esteemed Publisher of the Year distinction for representing five of the top performing Gospel songs of the previous year, “If You Don’t Mind,” “I’m Getting Ready,” “Never Alone,” “Stand In Awe” and “Victory.”
In addition to the major award winners, BMI also paid homage to the Twenty Most Performed Gospel Songs of the Year (2019). This year’s crop of talented winners featured 20 first-time Trailblazer Award recipients, including Maranda Curtis for her hit song “Nobody Like You Lord.” Upon receiving this honor, Curtis said, “In our troubled world, music and its healing power is more necessary now than ever before. So, let’s sing louder, let’s produce more, let’s perform bigger and let healing continue.” Other notable first-time award winners include Chanda Mukula (“Mention”), VaShawn Mitchell (“He Got Up”), Jonathan McReynolds and Terrell Demetrius Wilson (“Not Lucky, I’m Loved”), Jeffery L. Thomas II and Dwight Washington II (“Open The Floodgates”), and Wendi Henderson Wyatt (“No Reason To Fear”), among others.
Song of the Year
I’m Getting Ready
Todd Galberth
Nicki Minaj
Integrity First Music Publishing
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing, Inc.
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Songwriter of the Year
Kirk Franklin
If You Don’t Mind
Love Theory
Never Alone
Publisher of the Year
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing, Inc.
If You Don’t Mind
I’m Getting Ready
Never Alone
Stand In Awe
Victory
20 Most Performed Songs
A Billion People
Deitrick Haddon
Haddon Boy Publishing
A Great Work
Aaron Lindsey
Alvin Richardson Jr.
Five Lions Publishing
Favor of God
Ay Ron Ronell Lewis
Copyright Solutions Music
Straightchurch Publishing
He Got Up
VaShawn Mitchell
Capitol CMG Publishing
Walkway Music
If You Don’t Mind
Kirk Franklin
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing, Inc.
I’m Getting Ready
Todd Galberth
Nicki Minaj
Integrity First Music Publishing
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing, Inc.
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Listen
R. Kelly
Universal Music-Z Songs
Love Theory
Kirk Franklin
Aunt Gertrude Music Publishing
Capitol CMG Publishing
Mention
Chanda Mukula
Chan Renae Publishing
Marquis Boone Publishing
Never Alone
Kirk Franklin
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing, Inc.
No Ordinary Worship
Jeshua “TedyP” Williams
Be Essential Songs
Eyeam Family Publishing
Tryscot Songs
No Reason To Fear
Wendi Henderson Wyatt
CD Baby Beta
Nobody Like You Lord
Maranda Curtis
Be Essential Songs
Butterfly Works Publishing
Fair Trade Global Songs
Not Lucky, I’m Loved
Jonathan McReynolds
Terrell Demetrius Wilson
The Wilson Songbook Publishing
Oh How I Love You
Lucius B. Hoskins
Kerry Douglas Publishing
Looze Phingazz
Open The Floodgates
Jeffery L. Thomas II
Dwight Washington II
Be Essential Songs
Fair Trade Global Songs
Kerry Douglas Publishing
Tryscot Songs
Pour Your Oil
Tyrone L. Belle
Lucius B. Hoskins
Marcus McFarlin
Looze Phingazz
Mixed Bag Entertainment
School Belle Entertainment
Serve
Jermaine Dolly
By Any Means Necessary Ent.
Stand In Awe
Damien Alexander Conners
Ted Winn
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing, Inc.
Teddysclever
The Niche Publishing
Victory
Tricray Astwood
Fred Jerkins
Adrian Jones
Fred Jerkins Publishing
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing, Inc.
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