Filed under: Music, Gospel, Television
Each year, the U.S. music rights organization recognizes gospel luminaries who have made an indelible mark on the music industry.
This year, Del Bryant, Catherine Brewton, Wardell Malloy and the BMI team selected Shirley Caesar and Commissioned as their honorees.
The soiree always kicks off with BMI's recognition of the publishing company's most performed gospel song of the year. BeBe & CeCe's 'Close to You' earned the honor this year and the Winans duo was on hand to perform the tune.
The audience gasped and then the room buzzed with uncomfortable laughter. Apparently BeBe was joking.
Last year's honoree Donnie McClurkin hosted the Caesar portion of the celebration.
The tribute to the former Caravans member kicked off with singer Arnetta Murrill-Crooms of
The Murrill's interpretation of Caesar's sermonic selection 'Hold My Mule.'Lucinda Moore followed and delivered a strong rendition of Caesar's 'Armor of God.' McClurkin joined in on a reprise of the song and shared in a powerful tag team duet with Moore.
Powerhouse Beverly Crawford shook the room with a soaring version of 'Sweeping through the City,' a tune she may want to consider recording on her next CD.
Vocal phenom Kim Burrell dazzled the room with her contemporary conveyance of Caesar's 'No Charge' and 'Jesus, I Love Calling Your Name.'
R&B star Ledisi concluded the tribute with a dynamically delivered rendition of 'You're Next in Line for a Miracle.'
"Gospel music is the greatest music in the world! I wish my momma and my sisters and brothers were here to hear all these crazy singers sing my songs," Caesar laughed while giving remarks. "I don't know if I want to sing my own songs after this. Y'all shouldn't come in here and sing people's songs better than they do."
Kicking off the tribute was the brother duo Dawkins & Dawkins, who performed the group's song 'Ordinary Just Won't Do.'
Men of Standard reunited for the occasion. Bryan Pierce, Isaac Carree and Lowell Pye wowed the room with Commissioned favorite, 'Running Back to You.'
Deitrick Haddon was joined by one-time Commissioned fill-in member Parkes Stewart to perform the group's song 'Tis So Sweet.'
The Clark Sisters were stellar as Twinkie Clark growled and hit high notes on 'I'm Going On.'
New-school quartet Soul Seekers were joined by one-time Commissioned member Marvin Sapp to perform the group's hit, 'King of Glory.'
Fred Hammond, the leader of Commissioned, gave a heartfelt and emotional speech that spoke about the highs and lows of being young men seeking God while trying to find themselves as men.
"It's been 21 years since we've all been in the same room at the same time," he shared. "But we all came together and sang in this group for one reason, it was because Jesus is Lord!"
Commissioned -- with all of its members, original and replacement -- then united on stage to deliver a one-time only performance of their song 'Victory.'
An all-star group of singers under the direction of Donald Lawrence and Dewayne Woods sang throughout t
he ceremony, while sought-after musician Joe "Flip" Wilson oversaw the band.A who's who of other talent attended the luncheon as well. Among those BlackVoices.com spotted included Kirk Franklin, Jessica Reedy, James Hall, The Williams Brothers, Tamela Mann, Jonathan Nelson, Lexi, Jason Nelson, actress Kim Fields, Byron Cage, Lisa Page Brooks, JJ Hairston, Kierra Sheard, Dr. Bobby Jones, Israel Houghton, Damita, Isaac Simpson, David Mann, Forever Jones, RiZen, Wes Morgan, Ted Win, John Mcclure, Brian Courtney Wilson, Zebulon Ellis, Melinda Watts, Vashawn Mitchell, Camille Betton, the group Christopher, James Fortune, Ernest Pugh, Justin Savage, Virtue, Mali Music, L. Spencer Smith and Trin-I-Tee 5:7.
The BMI Trailblazers Awards will air as a television special on the GMC on Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. EST. For details, go to www.WatchGMCtv.com.
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Top-Selling Gospel Artists
CeCe Winans
The eighth of 10 siblings in the gospel-singing Winans family, CeCe recorded music with brother BeBe. The dynamic duo scored two No. 1 R&B singles, 'Addictive Love' and 'I'll Take You There.' As a soloist, CeCe has won six Grammys and her collection of R&B hits includes 'Count on Me,' her duet with Whitney Houston from the 'Waiting to Exhale' soundtrack.
(Photo: Getty)
BeBe Winans
After years as a duet with sister CeCe, BeBe Winans went solo and released a self-titled album in 1997. Featuring singles 'In Harms' Way,' 'Thank You,' and 'I Wanna Be The Only One,' the album did well on gospel and secular charts. BeBe is a two-time Grammy winner, one as co-producer of the 'Bodyguard' soundtrack.
(Photo: Pieter M. van Hattem, AOL)
Kierra "KiKi" Sheard
KiKi Sheard is a third-generation gospel artist. Her mother is Karen Clark Sheard of the famed Clark Sisters and her grandmother is gospel pioneer Dr. Mattie Moss Clark. Shortly after graduating high school, Sheard released her second album 'This Is Me,' which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Gospel charts in 2006.
(Photo: John Shearer, WireImage.com)
Mahalia Jackson
Regarded as the "world's greatest gospel singer," Jackson's spirit-filled force produced gospel classics such as 'Move On Up a Little Higher,' 'He's Got the Whole World in His Hands' (a Top 100 pop single) and 'How I Got Over.' She sang for Presidents Eisenhower & Kennedy, and for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. immediately before his "I Have a Dream" speech.
(Photo: Getty Images)
James Cleveland
A pianist, singer, composer and producer, Cleveland was revered by the music world as the King of Gospel and even taught a Queen (of soul), Aretha Franklin a few things about gospel. Cleveland is credited with writing and arranging more than 400 gospel songs, including 'Everything Will Be All Right,' 'The Love of God' and 'Peace Be Still.'
(Photo: Time Life/Getty)
Kirk Franklin
Kirk Franklin came up in the church, but often reworks his church messages into a hip-hop mix. Franklin's 1998 hit 'Stomp' propelled him to the best-selling gospel artist of the modern era. Moving beyond music, Franklin has hosted 'Sunday Best,' a music competition on BET, in addition to working the speaker circuit.
(Photo: Jesse Grant, Getty Images)
The Winans
The Winans, comprised of five-time Grammy-winning brothers Marvin, Carvin, Michael and Ronald, put out 10 albums from 1982 to 1995, spawning hits such as 'Let My People Go' and 'It's Time and a Friend.' Their own sons went on to form the third-generation group Winans Phase 2.
(Photo: AOL)
Yolanda Adams
Though initially criticized in the Christian community for embracing R&B and jazz rhythms and "immodest" fashion to accompany her holy music, Adams scored quickly with gospel audiences. Her 1999 album, 'Mountain High...Valley Low' earned Adams her first Grammy for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel.
(Photo: Lester Cohen, WireImage.com)
Mary Mary
Sisters Erica and Tina Atkins formed gospel duo Mary Mary, named after biblical Mary Magdalene and Mary, mother of Jesus. Their debut album, 'Thankful,' boasting smash single 'Shackles (Praise You),' was a crossover hit earning the duo Grammy and American Music Awards. The single received rotation on mainstream radio and MTV.
(Photo: WireImage.com)
Andraé Crouch
After founding the Disciples in 1965, André Crouch garnered mainstream success, appearing on 'The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson' and at Carnegie Hall. The Disciples contemporary gospel sound, complete with soothing melodies of pop rather than traditional hymns, helped the group develop a racially diverse audience.
(Photo: Rick Diamond, WireImage.com)