State Champ Radio Awards
Page: 17
06/13/2025
P-Funk, EGOTs, Beach Boys, surprise guests and more.
06/13/2025
On Thursday (June 12) evening in New York City, The Beach Boys legend Mike Love was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
The massive honor for the veteran singer-songwriter came in the wake of huge loss to fans of the Beach Boys: just one day prior to the induction ceremony, news broke that Brian Wilson, one-time leader of the peerless pop-rock group, had died at 82. Wilson and Love were not just bandmates, but co-writers on some of the biggest Billboard Hot 100 hits of the ‘60s – not to mention cousins.
So when John Stamos – the Full House alum who has been performing with his beloved Beach Boys for four decades now – took the stage to introduce Love, he took a pause to mention the loss. “I’d like to take a moment and acknowledge the heartbreaking loss of Brian Wilson,” said Stamos. “A genius whose melodies shaped millions of dreams, including those in this room.”
Of Love, Stamos noted that the new inductee was the main man behind many of the Beach Boys’ most recognizable hooks, and said his induction was “long overdue.”
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Love, wearing a dapper blue blazer and Beach Boys call cap, paid tribute to his departed co-writer and fellow Beach Boy during his acceptance speech, too.
“Gratitude is the main emotion I feel,” Love told the Songwriters Hall of Fame audience. After thanking his wife, children, band and crew, Love added, “I especially want to thank my cousin, Brian Wilson. I believe he’s here with us.
“He’s my first cousin but brother in music together,” Love continued, noting that their partnership “set the stage for some of the most successful collaborations all time.”
“I do feel his presence,” Love said. Sharing “gratitude, love and peace” with the crowd, he added, “I pray that through music, art and kindness, the world heals and love prevails.”
After that, Love sauntered over to the mic to perform (with Stamos on guitar!) a number of his best-loved co-writes, smash hits for the Beach Boys such as “Good Vibrations,” “Kokomo” and “I Get Around.” Needless to say, damn near the entire room was on its feet, singing along.
Samara Joy is set to receive the Ella Fitzgerald Award at the 2025 Montreal Jazz Festival on June 28 at Maison symphonique, Place des Arts. Joy has won five Grammys in the last three years (from five nominations, for a perfect score so far). She won best new artist in 2023 and has won two awards each for best jazz vocal album and best jazz performance.
Fitzgerald, of course, was Grammy royalty. At the inaugural Grammy ceremony in 1959, she became the first woman to receive an album of the year nomination (for Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook). In 1967, she became the first woman to receive a lifetime achievement Award from the Recording Academy.
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Joy is the 25th winner of the Ella Fitzgerald Award, which is given annually to a talented jazz singer who has had a major impact on the international scene.
Thundercat, Natalia Lafourcade, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and Duncan Hunter Neale are also set to be honored at the festival, which is officially dubbed the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal.
Thundercat will receive the Miles Davis Award on Tuesday, July 1 at 7:30 p.m. at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Place des Arts. Thundercat is the 30th winner of the award, which pays tribute to a world-renowned jazz artist, their body of work and their innovation in the genre. Thundercat, who has won two Grammys, has in recent years gone from virtuoso bassist to star.
Natalia Lafourcade will receive the Antônio Carlos Jobim Award on Thursday, June 26, and Friday, June 27 at 7:30 p.m. at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Place des Arts. Lafourcade is the 20th winner of the award, which honors artists who stand out in world music. Lafourcade, a four-time Grammy winner, blends traditional Latin American music and contemporary sounds.
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram will receive the B.B. King Award on Thursday July 3 at 7:30 p.m. at TD Stage. “Kingfish” is the eighth winner of the award, which honors a standout artist on the blues scene. “Kingfish,” who won a Grammy in 2022 for best contemporary blues album, is a critically-acclaimed guitarist, singer and songwriter.
Duncan Hunter Neale will receive the Oliver Jones Award on Saturday, July 5 at 6 p.m. at Le Studio TD. This award was created in honor of Oliver Jones, a Montréal jazz icon who has left an indelible mark on the history of the festival. Neale, an emerging trumpeter on the Montréal music scene, is the fifth recipient of the award, which is given to young, university-level musicians who identify as members of visible minorities or Indigenous communities. The Ottawa-born Neale studied music improvisation and composition at McGill University, where he became better acquainted with Black American music and the history of the African diaspora, while reconnecting with his Ghanaian heritage.
The 45th edition of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal will take place from June 26 to July 5 in the Quartier des Spectacles, which is located in the heart of downtown Montreal. The festival will entail close to 150 indoor concerts and more than 350 free, open-air shows, presented on the Place des Festivals.
The academy is combining two categories, best recording package and best boxed or special limited edition package into one category, best recording package. Boxed sets were split off into a separate category in 1995.
It is also reviving an old category, best album cover. The Grammy Award for best album cover dates back to the first Grammy Awards in 1959. (The first winner: Frank Sinatra, for serving as art director on his own album, Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely.) From 1962 to 1965 it was separated into classical and non-classical categories. From 1966 to 1968 it was separated into graphic arts and photography categories. In 1974, the name of the award was changed to best album package. It was changed again in 1994 to best recording package.
The rule for Best Recording Package: “An art director’s award – for albums or singles. This category recognizes excellence in the field of art and packaging for albums or singles. Physical product in any configuration (standard, special edition, limited edition, or boxed sets), of any genre of music, released for the first time during the eligibility year (even if recordings were previously released) is eligible provided the packaging is predominantly new.
“The elements judged in this category include the package design, photography and/or graphic art of the entire package as well as any materials included. If the album art/packaging has been previously released, or is being reissued with only minimal new design elements, it is not eligible.
“An entry in this category is eligible if the physical product release during the applicable eligibility period either meets the general distribution requirement or was made available for purchase solely via the applicable artist’s website or such artist’s record company’s website, so long as the release meets all other eligibility requirements, is sold as a stand-alone product, and the sales link is available to all consumers (e.g., fan club-only releases or releases through a subscription series are not eligible).
The rule for Best Album Cover: “An art director’s award – for albums only. This category recognizes excellence in cover art for albums of recordings in any genre of music, released for the first time during the eligibility year (even if recordings were previously released).
“The elements judged in this category include the creativity, design, illustration, photography, and/or graphic art of the album cover.
“The album cover must be predominantly new: If the album cover art has been previously released, or the recording is being reissued with only minimal new cover art, is not eligible.
“Eligible album covers can be from digital-only or streaming-only full-length releases as well as albums that have physical configurations. Submission of an album cover in this category would not disqualify the physical package of the same release from being submitted in best recording package. Eligible entries for this category require a high-resolution digital file of the album cover be uploaded with the entry.”
In addition, the Package Craft Committee is changing from three regional committees to one national committee.
Country music is getting a new Grammy category: best traditional country album. It is the only new music category being added for the 68th annual Grammy Awards in 2026.
To reflect the change, the existing best country album category has been renamed best contemporary country album. The new category will join the 13 other categories in Field 5, four of which are specifically dedicated to country, while the others cover American roots, Americana, bluegrass, blues, folk and regional roots music.
New categories are considered from proposals submitted to the Recording Academy’s Awards & Nominations committee, which are then voted on by the Academy’s board of trustees. “The community of people that are making country music in all different subgenres came to us with a proposal and said we would like to have more variety in how our music is honored,” Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. tells Billboard. “They said, we think we need more space for our music to be celebrated and honored.” Mason said the proposal had been submitted a number of times previously before passing this year.
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The move helps bring the country categories more in line with other genres which separate contemporary and traditional albums or performances, including R&B, pop and blues.
“It makes country parallel with what’s happening in other genres,” Mason says, “But it is also creating space for where this genre is going.”
The definition for the new category reads, in part, “This category recognizes excellence in albums of traditional country music, both vocal and instrumental. Traditional country includes country recordings that adhere to the more traditional sound structures of the country genre, including rhythm and singing style, lyrical content, as well as traditional country instrumentation such as acoustic guitar, steel guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, piano, electric guitar, and live drums. It also includes sub-genres such as Western, Western Swing, and Outlaw country.”
The hope is that the new category benefits artists who fall outside of mainstream, commercial country music, such as Charley Crockett, Sierra Ferrell, Colter Wall and Noeline Hoffman, who have previously been nominated into the Americana and American roots categories. (Both Crockett and Ferrell were nominated for best Americana album for the 2025 Grammy Awards, with Ferrell’s Trail of Flowers taking home the Grammy.)
“The issues have been, traditionally, a lot of people that weren’t sure whether [an album] was Americana or roots or folk or country were just jamming everything into one category,” Mason says. “There are obviously nuances between the different genres. Those experts in those genres understand those nuances, and I’m quite certain now you’re going to see the right people going into Americana versus folk versus traditional country. [The change] gives us an opportunity to put things in more specific categories.”
As all subgenres of country grow in popularity, Mason says the addition of a new category gives more chances to share the wealth. “People from that community are making more music, it’s more varied, there’s different styles of writing and performing,” he says. “I’m hopeful that that community understands that the academy is doing what it always does, which is stay in tune with what’s happening in their genre.”
Pastor Mike Jr. could set a record when the 2025 Stellar Gospel Music Awards ceremony is taped live from the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville on Saturday, Aug. 16. He is currently tied with Kirk Franklin and Marvin Sapp as the only artists to win artist of the year three times. He’s nominated again this year. Should he win, he’ll pull ahead as the top winner in the top category.
Tamela Mann, who won in that category in 2014 and 2017, is also nominated again. Should she win, she’ll join Pastor Mike Jr., Franklin and Sapp as the only three-time winners.
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The other nominees in that category are CeCe Winans, Jason Nelson and Kenny Lewis & One Voice. None have ever won before in this top category.
Pastor Mike Jr. and Jason Nelson are the top nominees for the 40th annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards, with nine nods each. Pastor Mike Jr., who has amassed 19 Stellar Awards, and Nelson, who is also a Stellar Award winner, each landed nominations for artist of the year, song of the year, male artist of the year and album of the year.
With eight nominations, Cece Winans is vying for artist of the year, song of the year, Albertina Walker female artist of the year, and album of the year.
Other artists earning multiple nominations include Mississippi Mass Choir, Adia, Deitrick Haddon, Dorinda Clark-Cole, Karen Clark-Sheard, Kenny Lewis & One Voice, Micah Lee, Tamela Mann, Chandler Moore and FK&M (Fred Hammond, Keith Staten, and Marcus Cole).
Public fan voting will take place in two categories this year – urban single or performance of the year and praise and worship song of the year. Fan Favorite voting runs from June 16 until July 18.
The Stellar Awards also announced nominees for the Gospel Radio of the Year Awards in six categories.
Tickets for the 40th Stellar Awards taping are available now at stellarawards.com.
“For 40 remarkable years, the Stellar Awards have been a beacon of excellence, celebrating the voices, vision, and victories of gospel music,” Don Jackson, founder of the Stellar Awards and chairman of Central City Productions, Inc., said in a statement. “We honor not just the genre of gospel music, but the legacy of our history, our faith, our culture, and our community that has inspired Black & African American generations for four decades.”
The 40th Stellar Gospel Music Awards show is executive produced by Jackson with Jennifer J. Jackson serving as producer and executive in charge of production; Michael A. Johnson as producer and director, Erin Johnson as talent producer, and Daniel Moore as music director.
This year’s Stellar Awards caps STELLAR PLUS week, which is set for Aug. 14-16. Events include master classes and soundstages, fashion shows and comedy showcases and more. For more information, visit stellarplusexperience.com.
Here’s the full list of nominations for the 2025 Stellar Gospel Music Awards.
Artist of the Year
CeCe Winans; More Than This; Pure Springs Gospel/Fair Trade Services
Jason Nelson; You Belong: Live in Durham; Jaelyn Song / Tyscot Records
Kenny Lewis & One Voice; The Healing Project; PureSound Muzik Group
Pastor Mike Jr.; I Got Away EP; Rock City Media Group
Tamela Mann; Live Breathe Fight; TillyMann
Song of the Year
“Amen,” Michael McClure Jr., Adia Andrews, Terrell Anthony Pettus, Andrea Crouch, & David “DLo” Outing; Pastor Mike Jr.; Rock City Media Group
“Clap My Way,” Fred Jerkins III, Alvin Garrett, & Micah Lee; Micah Lee; Darkchild Gospel/ MicahLeeMusic
“I Prayed for You (said a prayer),” Major Johnson Finley, Brunes Charles, & Jeshua Williams; MAJOR.; NowThatsMAJOR / MNRK
“That’s My King,” Taylor Agan, Kellie Gamble, Lloyd Nicks, & Jess Russ; CeCe Winans; Pure Springs Gospel/Fair Trade Services
“Yahweh” ft. Melvin Crispell III; Danni Baylor, Jason Nelson, Jerome Baylor, & Johnnie Huntley Steele III; Jason Nelson; Jaelyn Song / Tyscot Records
Male Artist of the Year
Chandler Moore; Chandler Moore: Live in Los Angeles; TRIBL
Deitrick Haddon; One Night in California; DH Visions
Doc McKenzie; Run On; Blockbuster Records/Milbert McKenzie Music Group
Jason Nelson; You Belong: Live in Durham; Jaelyn Song / Tyscot Records
Pastor Mike Jr.; I Got Away EP; Rock City Media Group
Albertina Walker Female Artist of the Year
ADIA; On the Way; Rock City Media Group
CeCe Winans; More Than This; Pure Springs Gospel/Fair Trade Services
Dorinda Clark-Cole; Determined; Malaco Records
Karen Clark-Sheard; Still Karen; Motown Gospel
Lisa Page Brooks; The Grateful Chant; FlowNeeNee Music
Duo/Chorus Group of the Year
Deitrick Haddon ft. Damita & Tasha Page-Lockhart; Hold On 2 Your Faith; ManHaddon Ministries / Tyscot Records
FK&M (Fred Hammond, Keith Staten and Marcus Cole); Time Capsule – The Trilogy; 3Brothers/Dare Records
Ted & Sheri; You’ve Been So Faithful (Groove); Ted & Sheri LLC / Black Smoke Music Worldwide
The Group Fire; About Last Night; Jet Records North/East
New Artist of the Year
ADIA; On the Way; Rock City Media Group
Bobbi Lane; Unmatched Grace; Blockbuster Records/ Taylor Music Group
Josh Bracy and Power Anointed; Favor; Josh Bracy Muzic
Micah Lee; Clap My Way; Darkchild Gospel/ MicahLeeMusic
Montrae Tisdale and The Friends Chorale; The Faith Journey; Tisdale Nation Entertainment
Album of the Year
I Got Away EP; Pastor Mike Jr.; Rock City Media Group
Live Breathe Fight; Tamela Mann; TillyMann
More Than This; CeCe Winans; Pure Springs Gospel/Fair Trade Services
The Healing Project; Kenny Lewis & One Voice; PureSound Muzik Group
You Belong: Live in Durham; Jason Nelson; Jaelyn Song / Tyscot Records
Choir of the Year
Bishop S.Y. Younger; Bishop S.Y. Younger Presents Worship in Brazil; Ramp Records (exclusively distributed by Haus Records)
Chicago Mass Choir; Greater Is Coming; New Haven Records
Ricky Dillard; When I Think; Motown Gospel
The Mississippi Mass Choir; We Still Believe; Malaco Records
Producer of the Year
Dana Sorey; Jason Nelson; You Belong: Live in Durham; Jaelyn Song / Tyscot Records
Fred Hammond, Keith Staten, Marcus Cole, Paul Wright III and Ray Hammond; FK&M (Fred Hammond, Keith Staten and Marcus Cole); Time Capsule – The Trilogy; 3Brothers/Dare Records
J. Drew Sheard; Karen Clark-Sheard; Still Karen; Motown Gospel
Michael McClure Jr., & David “DLo” Outing II; Pastor Mike Jr.; I Got Away EP; Rock City Media Group
Stan Jones, Jerry Mannery, Jerry Smith, & David R. Curry Jr.; The Mississippi Mass Choir; We Still Believe; Malaco Records
Contemporary Duo/Chorus Group of the Year
Deitrick Haddon ft. Damita & Tasha Page-Lockhart; Hold On 2 Your Faith; ManHaddon Ministries / Tyscot Records
Red Hands; The Three (EP); Black Suit Music / Anderson Music Group / TAMLA Records
Ted & Sheri; You’ve Been So Faithful (Groove); Ted & Sheri LLC / Black Smoke Music Worldwide
The Group Fire; About Last Night; Jet Records North/East
Traditional Duo/Chorus Group of the Year
Brandon Camphor & One Way; Hymn Medley; Tomii Entertainment
Men Of Prayze; Live: in the Red; EvoWorld Entertainment, Inc
The Flint Cavaliers; The Fellowship (Psalms 133:1); The Flint Music Group
Tim Woodson & The Heirs of Harmony; Try Me; Blackberry/Marxan Records
Contemporary Male Artist of the Year
Jason Nelson; You Belong: Live in Durham; Jaelyn Song / Tyscot Records
Micah Lee; Clap My Way; Darkchild Gospel/ MicahLeeMusic
Pastor Mike Jr.; I Got Away EP; Rock City Media Group
Vincent Bohanan; VBSOV Summer Jam; Independent
Traditional Male Artist of the Year
Bishop Calvin Norton; Hold Me Beyond Rear View EP; Blockbuster Records
Brent Jones; Live Your Best Life; JDI Entertainment
Earnest Pugh; Worthy Is the Lamb; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide
Kenny Lewis; The Healing Project; PureSound Muzik Group
Contemporary Female Artist of the Year
ADIA; On the Way; Rock City Media Group
Bobbi Lane; Unmatched Grace; Blockbuster Records/ Taylor Music Group
CeCe Winans; More Than This; Pure Springs Gospel/Fair Trade Services
DOE; Heart of a Human; RCA Inspiration / Provident Entertainment
Keyla Richardson; Home; Uncle G Records
Traditional Female Artist of the Year
Dorinda Clark-Cole; Determined; Malaco Records
Lasha Knox; Right There; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide
Lisa Page Brooks; The Grateful Chant; FlowNeeNee Music
Terri McConnell; He’ll Get Me Through This; Royal T Records
Contemporary Album of the Year
Chandler Moore: Live in Los Angeles; Chandler Moore; TRIBL
Live Breathe Fight; Tamela Mann; TillyMann
Still Karen; Karen Clark-Sheard; Motown Gospel
You Belong: Live in Durham; Jason Nelson; Jaelyn Song / Tyscot Records
Traditional Album of the Year
Determined; Dorinda Clark-Cole; Malaco Records
Live in Detroit, Pt 1; The Victorius Army ATL Feat. Vincent Bohanan; Independent
The Healing Project; Kenny Lewis & One Voice; PureSound Muzik Group
We Still Believe; The Mississippi Mass Choir; Malaco Records
Urban Single or Performance of the Year
Amen; Pastor Mike Jr.; Rock City Media Group
Clap My Way; Micah Lee; Darkchild Gospel/ MicahLeeMusic
I Prayed for You (said a prayer); MAJOR.; NowThatsMAJOR / MNRK
Without You ft. Zacardi Cortez; Jevon Dewand and The Trap Starz; Black Smoke Records
Music Video of the Year
“Amen,” Pastor Mike Jr., Tony “Mr.YNOT” Minifield, Drae Rudolph & Kevin “Krispy” Key/Moon Men; Rock City Media Group
“Deserve to Win,” David Mann; TillyMann
“For My Good,” Jekalyn Carr; Waynorth Music
“Never Be the Same,” Deitrick Haddon & Terrance Church; DH Visions
Traditional Choir of the Year
Chicago Mass Choir; Greater Is Coming; New Haven Records
Christopher L. Ervin & Abraham’s Descendants; Recover; CervinMusiq
Ricky Dillard; When I Think; Motown Gospel
The Mississippi Mass Choir; We Still Believe; Malaco Records
Contemporary Choir of the Year
Alphaeus Anderson Presents The USC Upstate Gospel Choir; Already Done; Music2ChangeU
Charles Butler & Trinity; Live in Washington DC; Red Alliance Media
Johnny Sanders Featuring Faith on Full; Christmas Everyday; Third Century Development Corp/Johnny Sanders Presents, LLC
Vincent Bohanan & SOV; VBSOV Summer Jam; Independent
Traditional Artist of the Year
Bishop Calvin Norton; Hold Me Beyond Rear View EP; Blockbuster Records
Dorinda Clark-Cole; Determined; Malaco Records
Earnest Pugh; Worthy Is the Lamb; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide
The Mississippi Mass Choir; We Still Believe; Malaco Records
Special Event Album of the Year
Bishop S.Y. Younger Presents Worship in Brazil; Bishop S.Y. Younger; Ramp Records (exclusively distributed by Haus Records)
Joyful, Joyful: A Christmas Album; CeCe Winans; Pure Springs Gospel/Fair Trade Services
Red & Green; Jonathan McReynolds; Life Room Label, Motown Gospel
The Gift Deluxe Edition; The Group Fire; Jet Records North/East
We Still Believe; The Mississippi Mass Choir; Malaco Records
Rap/Hip Hop Gospel Album of the Year
Canton Jones and CAJO Records Presents the Free Life Experience; The Free Life Experience; CAJO Records
Let Go Let God: The EP; 1K Phew; Reach Records
Meet Me in Miami; Otis Kemp; Revive 5.0 Entertainment
Without You: There Would Be No Me; Jevon Dewand and The Trap Starz; Black Smoke Records
Youth Project of the Year
AMG Kidz x Boston Arts Academy; The Kidz at North Station; Anderson Music Group / TAMLA Records
Brent Jones presents The Fire; Brent Jones presents The Fire; JDI Entertainment
Janessa Smith; Sounds of Joy; Inspired Recording
Nina Symmone & Noah Alexander; God’s Way; The Big Moment / Anderson Music Group
Quartet of the Year
Blest By Four; Only Believe The EP; EvoWorld Entertainment, Inc
Men Of Prayze; Live: in the Red; EvoWorld Entertainment, Inc
The Flint Cavaliers; The Fellowship (Psalms 133:1); The Flint Music Group
Tim Woodson & The Heirs of Harmony; Try Me; Blackberry/Marxan Records
Recorded Music Packaging of the Year
Covered Vol. 1; Brianna Dowd & Melvin Crispell III; RCA Inspiration, Provident Label Group LLC
Meet Me in Miami; Blair Monique; Revive 5.0 Entertainment
Red & Green; Jonathan McReynolds & Trent Nicholson; Life Room Label, Motown Gospel
Still Karen; Justin Foster; Motown Gospel
Praise and Worship Album of the Year
Chandler Moore: Live in Los Angeles; Chandler Moore; TRIBL
More Than This; CeCe Winans; Pure Springs Gospel/Fair Trade Services
One; Jordan G. Welch; JordiG Music
You Belong: Live in Durham; Jason Nelson; Jaelyn Song / Tyscot Records
Praise and Worship Song of the Year
“Light in a Dark Place,” Bobbi Lane; Blockbuster Records/ Taylor Music Group
“Overflow” ft. Todd Dulaney; Transformation Worship; Represent Records, Re: Think Music
“That’s My King,” CeCe Winans; Pure Springs Gospel/Fair Trade Services
“Yahweh” ft. Melvin Crispell III; Jason Nelson; Jaelyn Song / Tyscot Records
Rap/Hip Hop Song of the Year
“Amen,” Pastor Mike Jr.; Rock City Media Group
“Blessings,” Otis Kemp; Revive 5.0 Entertainment
“Fa REAL… Fa Real,” Jevon Dewand and The Trap Starz; Black Smoke Records
“Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah” ft. Lisa Page Brooks; Dante’ Pride; iAmDantePrideMuzik
Top Market of the Year
WBBP 1480 AM, Memphis
WBGX 1570 kHz, Chicago
WFTB FM 104.1, Nashville
WGRB 1390AM, Chicago
WPZS 100.9, Charlotte, N.C.
Medium Market of the Year
WAGR 102.5 FM, Lexington, Miss.
WEUP Worship 94.5, Huntsville, Ala.
WJNI 106.3FM, Charleston, S.C.
WXHL 89.1 FM, Wilmington, Del.
Small Market of the Year
WBZF-FM 98.5, Florence-Myrtle Beach, S.C.
WHLH 95.5, Jackson, Miss.
WKTT 97.5 FM, Salisbury, Md.
WTSK – Praise 93.3/ 790 AM, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Internet Station of the Year
Black Gospel Radio, https://BlackGospelRadio.net
GODRadio1.com, https://godradio1.com
Hands Up Radio WHUR, https://handsupradio.org/
Power of Worship Radio, https://powerofworship.net
Syndicated Gospel Radio Show of the Year
“Early Morning Praise Party with Sherry Mackey,” Sherry Mackey
“Get Up! Mornings with Erica Campbell,” Erica Campbell with Griff & Cheryl Jackson
“The Big Redd Radio Show,” Big Redd
“The Tracy Morgan Show,” Tracy Morgan
Gospel Announcer of the Year
Destiny Diggs; WXHL – Reach Gospel Radio/ “Say So Radio Show with Destiny”
Melissa Wade; WNNL, The Light 103.9/ “Melissa Wade in the Midday”
Micha “ML6” Logan; WEUP, 103.1 FM/ “The Midday Shift”
Sherry Mackey; WHAL, 95.7 Hallelujah FM/ “Early Morning Praise Party with Sherry Mackey”
Jack Black is set to receive the King of Comedy Award during the 2025 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, live from Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif., on Saturday, June 21, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Black will accept his Silver Blimp from the KCA stage, before getting doused by Nickelodeon’s iconic slime.
Additionally, Alex Warren, whose “Ordinary” has topped the Billboard Hot 100 the last two weeks, has joined the list of talent scheduled to appear on the show, along with Auliʻi Cravalho, Benny Blanco, Ice Spice, Victoria Monét, Jack Griffo, Jacob Rodriguez, Katelyn West, Kel Mitchell, Kira Kosarin, Maia Kealoha, Renee Montgomery, SeanDoesMagic, Samantha Lorraine and Tony Hawk.
Previously announced show participants include KATSEYE, who will perform their Hot 100 single, “Gnarly.”
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Hosted by Tyla, the show will simulcast across Nickelodeon, TeenNick, Nicktoons, the Nick Jr. channel, MTV2 and CMT, and also air on Nickelodeon channels around the world.
Black is no stranger to Nickelodeon, having hosted the annual awards show in 2006, 2008 and 2011. Last year, he won a KCA orange blimp for his voiceover work as Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. He also won favorite voice from an animated movie for his work in Kung Fu Panda in 2009.
Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards 2025 is produced by Nickelodeon Productions and overseen by: Ashley Kaplan, executive vp, Nickelodeon & Awesomeness Unscripted & Digital Franchise Studio; Paul J Medford, vp, unscripted current series; Luke Wahl, vp, unscripted creative; and Jennifer Bernstein, vp, talent. Guy Carrington & Kevin Hermanson of Done and Dusted serve as executive producers, with Rob Paine serving as co-executive producer. The show is directed by James Merryman.
Wicked anthem “Defying Gravity” changed very little from its initial composition, except for one key change requested by Idina Menzel. The title for Funkadelic’s iconic “One Nation Under a Groove” came from a fan. The co-writer of timeless classic “Build Me Up Buttercup” tried desperately to get the word “Buttercup” out of the song. And […]
Does Kai Cenat not know who Wale is? During Monday night’s 2025 BET Awards, the two crossed paths in what looked like a parking garage while Cenat was doing a livestream of his night. They greeted each other as Wale was playing Nintendo Switch, and when he told the popular streamer that he was playing […]
Sierra Ferrell, who won artist of the year at last year’s Americana Honors & Awards, is nominated in that category again this year, along with Billy Strings, who won in 2022-23; Charley Crockett, Joy Oladokun and Waxahatchee.
Ferrell is vying to become the second woman to win artist of the year twice and the first to do so in back-to-back years. Brandi Carlile won in 2019 and 2021. For his part, Strings would become just the second artist to win three or more times. The late John Prine won four times.
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MJ Lenderman, Charley Crockett, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats and Gillian Welch & David Rawlings were each nominated in multiple categories. Lenderman is up for album of the year for Manning Fireworks, song of the year for “Wristwatch” and emerging act of the year. Crockett is up for album of the year for Lonesome Drifter and artist of the year. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats are up for album of the year for South of Here and song of the year for “Heartless.” Welch & Rawlings are nominated for album of the year for Woodland and duo/group of the year.
Larkin Poe, which won duo/group of the year last year, is nominated again in that category, as is the 2015 winner, The Mavericks. Jason Isbell, a three-time winner for album of the year, is nominated again this year for Foxes in the Snow.
The 24th annual Americana Honors & Awards will be held on Sept. 10 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.
Here’s the full list of nominees:
Artist of the Year
Charley Crockett
Sierra Ferrell
Joy Oladokun
Billy Strings
Waxahatchee
Album of the Year
Lonesome Drifter, Charley Crockett; Produced by Charley Crockett & Shooter Jennings
Foxes in the Snow, Jason Isbell; Produced by Jason Isbell & Gena Johnson
Manning Fireworks, MJ Lenderman; Produced by Alex Farrar & MJ Lenderman
South of Here, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats; Produced by Brad Cook
Woodland, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings; Produced by David Rawlings
Song of the Year
“Johnny Moonshine,” Maggie Antone; Written by Maggie Antone, Natalie Hemby & Aaron Raitiere
“Ancient Light,” I’m With Her; Written by Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan & Sara Watkins
“Wristwatch,” MJ Lenderman; Written by MJ Lenderman
“Sunshine Getaway,” JD McPherson; Written by Page Burkum, JD McPherson & Jack Torrey
“Heartless,” Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats; Written by Nathaniel Rateliff
Duo/Group of the Year
Julien Baker & TORRES
Dawes
Larkin Poe
The Mavericks
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
Emerging Act of the Year
Noeline Hofmann
MJ Lenderman
Medium Build
Maggie Rose
Jesse Welles
Instrumentalist of the Year
Fred Eltringham
Alex Hargreaves
Megan Jane
Kaitlyn Raitz
Seth Taylor
