The 26th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards Airs on gmc Saturday, March 5 at 7, 9 and 11 PM ET

NASHVILLE, TN (January 15, 2011) – The 26TH ANNUAL STELLAR GOSPEL MUSIC AWARDS announced the 2011 winners:

ARTIST OF THE YEAR:
MARVIN SAPP, HERE I AM, VERITY GOSPEL MUSIC GROUP

SONG OF THE YEAR:
BEBE WINANS, CLOSE TO YOU – STILL, B&C/MALACO

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR:
BYRON CAGE, FAITHFUL TO BELIEVE, VERITY GOSPEL MUSIC GROUP

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR:
KAREN CLARK SHEARD, ALL IN ONE, KAREW RECORDS

GROUP/DUO OF THE YEAR:
JAMES FORTUNE & FIYA, ENCORE, BLACKSMOKE MUSIC WORLDWIDE

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR:
KRISTINA HALLOWAY, FREE, SERUM/PSALMS GROUP UNIVERSAL MUSIC CHRISTIAN GROUP

CD OF THE YEAR:
MARVIN SAPP, HERE I AM, VERITY GOSPEL MUSIC GROUP

CHOIR OF THE YEAR:
WILMINGTON CHESTER MASS CHOIR, HE’S BEEN GOOD, EMTRO GOSPEL

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR:
AARON LINDSEY, HERE I AM, VERITY GOSPEL MUSIC GROUP

CONTEMPORARY GROUP/DUO OF THE YEAR:
FOREVER JONES, GET READY, EMI GOSPEL

TRADITIONAL GROUP/DUO OF THE YEAR:
THE MIGHTY CLOUDS OF JOY, AT THE REVIVAL, EMI GOSPEL

CONTEMPORARY MALE OF THE YEAR:
JAMES FORTUNE, ENCORE, BLACKSMOKE MUSIC WORLDWIDE

TRADITIONAL MALE OF THE YEAR:
MARVIN SAPP, HERE I AM, VERITY GOSPEL MUSIC GROUP

CONTEMPORARY FEMALE OF THE YEAR:
CECE WINANS, STILL, B&C/MALACO

TRADITIONAL FEMALE OF THE YEAR:
LUCINDA MOORE, BLESSED, BROKEN & GIVEN, TYSCOT RECORDS/JOYFULA RECORDS

CONTEMPORARY CD OF THE YEAR:
JAMES FORTUNE & FIYA, ENCORE, BLACKSMOKE MUSIC WORLDWIDE

TRADITIONAL CD OF THE YEAR:
MARVIN SAPP, HERE I AM, VERITY GOSPEL MUSIC GROUP

URBAN/INSPIRATIONAL SINGLE OR PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR:
BEBE & CECE WINANS, CLOSE TO YOU - STILL, B&C/MALACO

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR:
BEBE & CECE WINANS, CLOSE TO YOU - STILL, B&C/MALACO

TRADITIONAL CHOIR OF THE YEAR:
WILMINGTON CHESTER MASS CHOIR, HE’S BEEN GOOD, EMTRO GOSPEL

CONTEMPORARY CHOIR OF THE YEAR:
MYRON BUTLER & LEVI, REVEALED LIVE IN DALLAS, EMI GOSPEL

SPECIAL EVENT CD OF THE YEAR:
VARIOUS ARTISTS, COCO BROTHER LIVE PRESENTS STAND 2010, TYSCOT RECORDS

RAP HIP HOP GOSPEL CD OF THE YEAR:
TRIP LEE, BETWEEN TWO WORLDS, REACH RECORDS

CHILDREN'S PROJECT OF THE YEAR:
KINGDOM KIDS WORLDWIDE, KINGDOM KIDS WORLDWIDE VOLUME 1, HEADSTRATE ENTERTAINMENT

QUARTET OF THE YEAR:
THE CHRISTIAN ANGELS, BRING IT TO THE ALTAR, 4 WINDS/MALACO

RECORDED MUSIC PACKAGING OF THE YEAR:
DEREK BLANKS & KEN BARBOZA, BEBE & CECE WINANS – STILL, B&C/MALACO

PRAISE AND WORSHIP CD OF THE YEAR:
DARWIN HOBBS, DARWIN HOBBS LIVE: CHAMPION, IMAGO DEI

SPECIAL AWARDS -- HONOREES

THOMAS A. DORSEY MOST NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD HONOREE
KIRK FRANKLIN

AMBASSADOR DR. BOBBY JONES LEGEND AWARD HONOREE
VANESSA BELL ARMSTRONG

JAMES CLEVELAND LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD HONOREE
DONALD LAWRENCE

The 26th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards is scheduled to air on Sunday, March 6 at 8 p.m. EST on gmc.