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Gospel music icon Kirk Franklin earns his 14th No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart, as Father’s Day debuts atop the Oct. 21-dated list. In the tracking week dated Oct. 6-12, the set earned 9,000 equivalent album units, with 6,000 in album sales, according to Luminate.
Franklin boasts the most No. 1s on the chart since he led for the first time in December 1993, Kirk Franklin and the Family.
“I can’t explain how it feels after 30 years to still have the beautiful opportunity to do music that pushes people to the greatest love story ever told,” Franklin tells Billboard. “Thank you!”
Father’s Day follows Kingdom Book One, Franklin’s collaboration with the Atlanta-based collective Maverick City Music, which started at its No. 2 peak in July 2022. His last solo set before his new LP, Long Live Love, launched at the apex in June 2019.
Dating to Franklin’s first chart-topper, his 14 No. 1s outpace runner-up Fred Hammond, with 10. CeCe Winans follows with seven. Franklin’s 294 weeks at No. 1 in that nearly 30-year span also mark the most for any act.
The 10-song Father’s Day was recorded amid personal struggle for Franklin, as he dealt with his family history. Notably, the man that he grew up thinking was his father passed away and, shortly after, he discovered his actual biological father through a series of DNA tests. He chronicled those events in the documentary Father’s Day: A Kirk Franklin Story.
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The Father’s Day album includes collaborations with Kelontae Gavin and Maranda Curtis; LeAndria Johnson; Tori Kelly; Jonathan McReynolds and Jekalyn Carr; and Chandler Moore.
The LP’s lead single, “All Things,” led Gospel Airplay for two weeks in September, becoming Franklin’s 10th No. 1 and tying him with Tamela Mann for the most in the chart’s history. On the latest streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Gospel Songs chart, it pushes 7-5 for a new best.
Five-time Gospel Music Association female vocalist of the year winner Natalie Grant is known for pop-leaning Christian Airplay hits including “King of the World” and “Held,” but this powerhouse vocalist distinctly remembers being four years old, with tears streaming down her face, listening to the Gospel sounds of Mahalia Jackson.
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“Listening to her sing, it just made me feel so deeply,” Grant says. “I’ve always been so influenced by Gospel music. Gospel performers sing with everything they have.”
On her new album, Seasons, out Friday (Oct. 6), nine-time Grammy nominee Grant pays homage to — and collaborates with — several of Gospel music’s top stars, along with pop and country music luminaries, covering songs that have served as musical cornerstones in her own life. CeCe Winans, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Mary Mary, Jekalyn Carr, Jonathan McReynolds, Cory Asbury, CAIN and Country Music Hall of Famer Dolly Parton all join on the new project.
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Grant is quick to note that unlike some covers records, this isn’t run-of-the-mill — these are the songs she leaned on through heartbreaks, triumphs, battles with thyroid cancer and anxiety, and more.
“Sometimes you hear the word ‘cover record,’ and it has this connotation of ‘Oh, it’s a filler record between the last originals records and whatever’s next,’” Grant says. “But there’s no filler record with this — this is my life record.”
Gospel music icon Winans sing with Grant on a version of the 1972 Andraé Crouch-written and recorded classic “My Tribute (To God Be the Glory).”
“Andraé has forever marked Christian and Gospel music and his legacy is forever,” Grant says. “CeCe Winans has been my hero since I first heard her when I was 11 years old. I went to the BeBe and CeCe Winans ‘Heaven’ tour. CeCe has so influenced me, not just her music, but her — she’s one of the most truly beautiful people you will ever meet, inside and out. So hearing us answering each other’s verses on this song, it was just a surreal moment for me. She didn’t have to be part of this, but she chose to do that, and that speaks again to how wonderful she is.”
Grant teams with Gospel sibling duo Mary Mary on a refreshed version of their 2000 hit “Shackles (Praise You),” which reached No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100.
“That was one of those songs that I remember just crossed all barriers — it didn’t matter whether you listen to gospel, pop, CCM — everybody loved that song. They’ve never remade the song in 20 years — why would they choose to remake it with an additional person? That just speaks to how amazing they are. We had so much fun singing this and just living our best lives.”
The album includes the Simon & Garfunkel standard “Bridge Over Troubled Water” with Cobbs Leonard, the Sandi Patty classic “Another Time, Another Place” (which Grant performs with McReynolds), and a version of the 2000 LeAnn Rimes hit “I Need You,” which marks another full-circle moment as Grant sang the original demo for the song before it made its way to Rimes.
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Grant makes another country connection on the project, welcoming Parton to join her in covering a Whitney Houston classic — no, not the Parton-penned “I Will Always Love You,” but rather Houston’s version of Annie Lennox’s “Step by Step,” which was included on the soundtrack for Houston’s film The Preacher’s Wife.
“This song is so special to me,” Grant says, recalling the mid-1990s when she was working a desk job handling Medicare in Nashville while pursuing music. “I would blast this song while driving my Volkswagen Golf to work. I wanted to do music but I had to do what I had to do to pay the bills.”The recording follows Parton and Grant sharing the stage earlier this year at Parton’s Dollywood themepark, where they sang the hymn “Just a Little Walk With Jesus.”
Though Parton initially turned down the opportunity to record “Step By Step” due to scheduling conflicts as she was working on her album Rock Star, Grant says that weeks later, she received a personal letter from Parton — on hot pink Dolly Parton letterhead — asking if she might still be able to sing on the song.
“It was just such a bucket list moment,” Grant says. “Who does that? Dolly Parton does that. I was blown away that she gave her time and talent to do that.”
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The album closes with a full family moment on a version of Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love,” on which Grant’s husband, producer-writer Bernie Herms, recorded Grant’s 83-year-old mother Gloria singing in Grant’s childhood home. The track also features the couple’s daughters singing background vocals.
“I remember hearing that song and thinking, ‘If I could write words to my girls, it would be these.’ And to have the whole family singing on it and their grandmother, it’s a gift.”
The new album is steeped in influence from Gospel music, as was Grant’s 1999 debut self-titled album, though after moving from her native Seattle to Nashville, Grant recalls being bewildered at how separated the white-dominated CCM and the Black-dominated Gospel music industries were at the time, calling it “an eye-opening experience that some of those racial lines were very hard and fast lines.”
“I would hear back from CCM radio programmers who would say, ‘We don’t want to play this; it sounds too Gospel,’ or ‘Why is she singing like that? And why is there a Gospel choir on there?’ I was just like, ‘I’m just singing,’” she says.
In the past few years, the Christian Airplay radio charts have increasingly featured more artists of color and more Gospel influences, including Winans, Wells, Jon Reddick, Blessing Offor and Maverick City Music. “Now, 20-something years later, people are more welcoming of diversity,” Grant Says. “They go, ‘I would love to see a collaboration with a Gospel artist or a Hispanic artist.’ All of a sudden, radio and the industry is looking for those moments. But honestly, we still have a long way to go.”
Conversely, Grant says she has seen her collaborations with Winans and Cobbs Leonard included on Gospel-only playlists on Apple Music and Spotify, and in August, she honored Winans with a performance at The Stellar Awards on BET.
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“That was a dream come true for me. But even the fact that they invited me when they didn’t have to. We didn’t have any songs on the Gospel charts that the time — or any that had come out yet. But they welcomed me with open arms and I was so moved by that.”
In addition to dominating GMA Dove Awards Gospel and urban music categories, Black artists have garnered wins in top overall GMA Dove Awards categories over the decades, even if radio has historically seemed divided. Among the winners have been Larnelle Harris (male vocalist), Nicole C. Mullen (songwriter of the year and song of the year for “Redeemer”), BeBe and CeCe Winans (new artist and group of the year), Wells (new artist of the year/contemporary Christian artist of the year) and Take 6 (group of the year, new artist of the year). In recent years Lecrae and CeCe Winans have made history on the GMA Dove Awards stage; in 2015, Lecrae became the first pure hip-hop artist to win the coveted artist of the year honor, while in 2022, Winans made history as the first Black solo female artist to win artist of the year.
Grant lauds the work Jackie Patillo has done since taking on the executive director role at the Gospel Music Association in 2010, to have the GMA Dove Awards performances further reflect the breadth of sounds and styles within Christian music.
“Jackie has worked so hard to blur those lines and have inclusion and you see that when you look at the Dove Awards now — you can see those years of investments paying off,” Grant says. “We still have a ways to go, but we are leap years ahead of where we were and I’m grateful to be walking with people in making those strides.”
Earlier this year, Grant was among a group of talented women who led the all-female It’s Time worship tour alongside Cobbs Leonard, Naomi Raine and Taya, offering a soul-stirring mix of CCM and Gospel hits, along with classic hymns. Grant is hopeful these moments are just the beginning of long-lasting change.
“I think you will see a lot more tours come together — you will see worship with hip-hop, CCM with Gospel. I think you will see a lot of that in the near future.”
The 54th annual GMA Dove Awards will feature a slate of some of the year’s biggest Contemporary Christian and Gospel music hitmakers.
for King & Country, Brandon Lake, Katy Nichole, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Miel San Marcos and Zach Williams with Walker Hayes are the initial round of performers revealed to be taking the stage at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena in Nashville, where the show will be taped Oct. 17. Tauren Wells was previously announced as the host of this year’s show.
Lake leads nominations with 11 nods, including artist of the year, and three nominations in the song of the year category. Over the past year, he topped the Christian Airplay chart with his solo song “Gratitude,” currently in the top five on that chart with “Praise You Anywhere,” and earned a top 10 Christian Airplay hit with the Brooke Ligertwood duet “Honey in the Rock,” and No. 11 as part of Maverick City Music’s “Fear Is Not My Future,” also featuring Chandler Moore.
for King & Country is up for artist of the year, as well as for pop/contemporary recorded song of the year alongside Jordin Sparks for “Love Me Like I Am,” which spent two weeks atop the Christian Airplay chart earlier this year. The sibling duo is currently in the top 10 on the Christian Airplay chart with “What Are We Waiting For?,” the title track of their latest album.
Cobbs Leonard has three nominations: gospel worship album of the year (for Hymns (Live)), traditional gospel recorded song of the year (“It Is Well”) and gospel worship recorded song of the year (“The Moment (Live)”). Earlier this year, she earned a two-week Gospel Airplay No. 1 with “The Moment,” and a top 10 Hot Gospel Songs hit with the Lecrae collaboration “Your Power.”
Nichole is nominated for new artist of the year, while her “In Jesus Name (God of Possible)” is up for song of the year. “God Is in This Story,” her collaboration with Big Daddy Weave, is up for pop/contemporary recorded song of the year. Her album Jesus Changed My Life is also nominated for pop/contemporary album of the year. She is currently in the top 5 on the Billboard Christian Airplay chart with “Hold On.”
Williams, known for hits including “Old Church Choir,” will team with “Fancy Like” hitmaker Walker Hayes for a performance, presumably a rendition of their collaboration “Jesus’ Fault,” which is up for bluegrass/country/roots recorded song of the year.
Miel San Marcos is nominated for Spanish Language recorded song of the year, for “Coritos (En Vivo).” Meanwhile, Miel San Marcos Kids is nominated for children’s recorded song of the year for “Danzo En El Rio.”
Tickets for the GMA Dove Awards‘ Oct. 17 taping at Allen Arena have already sold out. The awards show will air exclusively on TBN and the TBN App on Oct. 20 at 8 p.m. ET and 10 p.m. ET, with an audio simulcast airing on SiriusXM. Encore presentations of the broadcast will air on TBN on Oct. 27 at 8 p.m. ET and 10 p.m. ET.
Brandon Lake is the top nominee for the 2023 GMA Dove Awards, sponsored by the Gospel Music Association. Lake received 11 nominations, including artist of the year, where he is competing with CeCe Winans, for KING + COUNTRY, Lauren Daigle and Phil Wickham. Winans won the award last year. For KING + COUNTRY and Daigle are both two-time winners in the category.
Lake has a co-writer credit on three of the 10 songs that were nominated for song of the year – “Fear Is Not My Future,” “Gratitude” and “Same God.”
Lake, 33, has won three Dove Awards. He has had two No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart – Elevation Worship’s “Graves Into Gardens,” on which he was featured, and his own “Gratitude.”
Other top nominees were songwriter Jeff Pardo with eight nods, and Jason Ingram and Kirk Franklin, with six nods each. New artist of the year finalist Katy Nichole received four nods — more than any other woman. She was followed by Daigle, Naomi Raine and Tasha Cobbs Leonard, each of whom received three nominations.
Country stars Dylan Scott, Tyler Childers and Walker Hayes each received their first nominations.
“I want to congratulate his year’s wonderful list of Dove Awards nominees, GMA president Jackie Patillo said in a statement.
Nominees were announced in a livestream on the GMA Dove Awards’ YouTube channel featuring Jason Crabb, Jordan Feliz, Danny Gokey, Natalie Grant and JJ Hairston. Final-round voting will run from Aug. 17-24.
The two-hour awards show will tape in Nashville on Tuesday Oct. 17 and will air exclusively on TBN and the TBN app three nights later, on Friday Oct. 20, at 8 p.m. ET and again at 10 p.m. ET.
The 54th Annual GMA Dove Awards are produced by the Gospel Music Association. Jackie Patillo and Justin Fratt serve as showrunners and executive producers, alongside Curtis Stoneberger and Paul Wright as producers. Russell E. Hall returns as director, Michael Nolan as scriptwriter, Scott Moore and Go Live Productions as production manager.
Here’s the full list of categories that were announced on today’s livestream. For a complete list of nominees in all categories, visit doveawards.com.
Artist of the yearBrandon LakeCeCe Winansfor KING + COUNTRYLauren DaiglePhil WickhamNew artist of the yearBen FullerHulveyJon ReddickKaty NicholeNaomi RaineSong of the year“Build A Boat,” writers: Colton Dixon, Seth Mosley, Johan Lindbrandt, SandroCavazza, Mikey Gormley“Fear Is Not My Future,” writers: Kirk Franklin, Brandon Lake, Jonathan Jay,Hannah Shackleford, Nicole Hannel“God Really Loves Us,” writers: David Crowder, Ben Glover, Jeff Sojka, DanteBowe“Goodness of God,” writers: Ben Fielding, Ed Cash, Jason Ingram, JennJohnson, Brian Johnson“Gratitude,” writers: Brandon Lake, Ben Hastings, Dante Bowe“In Jesus Name (God of Possible),” writers: Ethan Hulse, Katy Nichole, DavidAndrew Spencer, Jeff Pardo“Love Me Like I Am,” writers: Joel Smallbone, Luke Smallbone, MichaelPollack, Josh Kerr “Perfectly Loved,” writers: Rachael Lampa, Andrew Ripp,Ethan Hulse“Same God,” writers: Brandon Lake, Steven Furtick, Chris Brown, Pat Barrett“Then Christ Came,” writers: Bart Millard, Phil Wickham, Jason Ingram, DavidLeonard
Pop/contemporary recorded song of the year“Brighter Days” – Blessing Offor“I’m So Blessed (Best Day Remix)” – CAIN“Love Me Like I Am” – for KING + COUNTRY ft. Jordin Sparks “God Is in This Story” – Katy Nichole ft. Big Daddy Weave “Thank God I Do” – Lauren Daigle
Worship recorded song of the year“Gratitude (Radio Version)” – Brandon Lake“Honey in the Rock” – Brooke Ligertwood, Brandon Lake“Holy Forever” – Chris Tomlin“Fear Is Not My Future (Radio Version)” – Maverick City Music ft. BrandonLake, Chandler Moore“This Is Our God” – Phil Wickham
Bluegrass/country/roots recorded song of the year“Jordan” – Darin & Brooke Aldridge, ft. Ricky Skaggs, Mo Pitney, Mark Fain“Good Morning Mercy” – Jason Crabb, Dylan Scott“Matchless” – Tiffany Coburn, ft. Point of Grace“Way of the Triune God (Hallelujah Version)” – Tyler Childers“Jesus’ Fault” – Zach Williams, ft. Walker Hayes
Spanish language recorded song of the year“Guarda Tu Corazón” – Alex Zurdo“So Good (Cuán Bueno)” – DOE, ft. Lilly Goodman“Nubes” – Indiomar, ft. Blanca“Coritos (En Vivo)” – Miel San Marcos, Daniel Calveti, Marcos Witt, IngridRosario“Suelto” – Sarai Rivera
Gospel worship recorded song of the year“One Name (Jesus) [Live]” – Naomi Raine“Impossible” – Pastor Mike Jr., ft. Jame Fortune“I Still Have You” – Smokie Norful“The Moment (Live)” – Tasha Cobbs Leonard “You’ve Been Good to Me” – Zacardi Cortez
Contemporary gospel recorded song of the year“New Day” – Blanca, ft. Jekalyn Carr“Your World” – Jonathan McReynolds“Miracles” – Kierra Sheard, ft. Pastor Mike Jr.“Bless Me” – Maverick City Music, Kirk Franklin“Get Up” – Tye Tribbett
Pop/contemporary album of the yearMy Tribe – Blessing OfforJesus Changed My Life – Katy NicholeAlways Only Jesus – MercyMeLife After Death – TobyMacA Hundred Highways – Zach Williams
Worship album of the yearCome Up Here – Bethel MusicHonest Offering (Live) – CAINGod Is Good! (Live) – Cody CarnesLION: Live From the Loft – Elevation WorshipLamb of God – Matt Redman
Southern gospel album of the yearThink About There – Greater VisionCome on In – Guardians QuartetJohn 3:16 – PerrysBelieve – The HoppersHymns & Worship – Triumphant Quartet
Contemporary gospel album of the yearMy Truth – Jonathan McReynoldsKingdom Book One (Deluxe) – Maverick City Music, Kirk FranklinImpossible – Pastor Mike Jr.Overcomer (Deluxe) – Tamela MannAll Things New – Tye Tribbett
Rap/hip hop album of the yearChurch Clothes 4 – LecraeSunday in Lagos – LimoblazeEveryone Loves a Comeback Story – Social Club MisfitsTree – Steven MalcolmNEW HOLLYWOOD – WHATUPRG
Feature film of the yearBig George ForemanFamily CampI Heard the BellsJesus RevolutionRemember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story
CeCe Winans is set to receive the Aretha Franklin Icon Award at the 2023 Stellar Gospel Music Awards, which will be presented at The Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, July 15.
Winans has won 15 Grammy Awards, just three shy of the number received by Franklin, who died in 2018. Though Franklin will forever be known as the Queen of Soul, she also made a lasting impression with her gospel recordings, including the 1972 classic Amazing Grace and the 1987 album One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism. Both of those live, double-disk recordings won Grammys for best soul gospel album.
Dr. Bobby Jones will receive the Thomas A. Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award. As previously announced, Rev. Dr. Milton Biggham will receive the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award. Biggham is pastor of the Mt. Vernon Baptist Church in Newark, N.J., and founder of several mass choirs – The Miami Mass Choir, The Mississippi Mass Choir, the Dallas Fort Worth Mass Choir and the Georgia Mass Choir.
The show will be hosted by Jonathan McReynolds and Tasha Cobbs-Leonard for the second year in a row.
Performers set to appear on the show include Kierra Sheard-Kelly, Naomi Raine, Pastor Mike, Jr., Maranda Curtis, Tim Bowman, Jr. & Faith City Music, DOE, Dorothy Norwood and Zacardi Cortez. The emerging voices stage will showcase HLE and Lena Byrd Miles. Additional performers and presenters will be announced.
The Stellar Awards red carpet special pre-show will be televised on the newly launched Stellar TV Network on Sunday, July 30, at 5 p.m. ET, followed by the 38th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards telecast at 6 p.m. ET. The Stellar Network can be found on Charter Spectrum and Verizon Fios. Both shows will be available on-demand via Xumo Play at a later date. The ceremony will also air in national broadcast syndication from Aug. 7 through Sept. 10.
Tickets for the Stellar pre-show and main awards ceremony are now available for purchase at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets range from $59 to $229.
In addition to the main awards ceremony, the Stellar Gospel Music Awards is introducing the Stellar+ Experience (Stellar+EXP), which will provide participants with a personalized experience, featuring concerts, discussions, master classes, and more. The Stellar+ Experience events will take place at the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas from Wednesday, July 12, to Friday, July 14. Limited-edition passes are now available for purchase, ranging from $60 to $250, at www.eventbrite.com. For the full event schedule and more information, visit stellarplusexperience.com.
As previously reported, Pastor Mike, Jr. and Tye Tribbett are the leading nominees for the 2023 Stellar Gospel Music Awards, with 10 and nine nods, respectively.
Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin received six nominations for their collaborative album Kingdom Book One. Cobbs-Leonard, Zacardi Cortez and DOE each received five nominations. Tamela Mann is nominated in four categories for her album Overcomer Deluxe.
The 38th Stellar Gospel Music Awards show is executive produced by Don Jackson, with Jennifer J. Jackson serving as executive in charge of production and producer. Michael A. Johnson will produce and direct this year’s show.
For more information, visit www.stellarawards.com.
Lauren Daigle’s “Thank God I Do” rises to No. 1 on Billboard’s streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Christian Songs chart, dated May 20.
The song is the lead single from the Louisiana-born singer-songwriter’s self-titled 10-song album, released May 12. Daigle is set to release another 10 songs for the collection’s bonus edition later this year.
Daigle co-authored “Thank” with Jason Ingram, while Jeff Bhasker, P!nk and Nate Ruess are also credited as writers, as the song contains elements of P!nk’s “Just Give Me a Reason,” featuring Ruess (which the three co-penned), a three-week No. 1 on the all-genre multimetric Billboard Hot 100 in 2013.
“Thank” tops Christian Digital Song Sales for a seventh week (2,000 sold in the United States May 5-11, according to Luminate) and ranks at its highs of No. 3 on Christian Streaming Songs (2.4 million official streams, up 8%) and No. 9 on Christian Airplay (4.4 million audience impressions, up 2%).
The piano ballad also rises to new bests of No. 16 on Adult Contemporary and No. 21 on Adult Pop Airplay.
Now with six Hot Christian Songs leaders, Daigle boasts the most among women since the chart began in 2003. (Carrie Underwood ranks next with three.) Among all artists, Daigle is tied for fourth place with Jeremy Camp, Third Day, Chris Tomlin and Matthew West. MercyMe leads with 13 No. 1s, followed by Casting Crowns (nine) and tobyMac (seven).
Daigle previously topped Hot Christian Songs with “Trust in You,” for 18 weeks beginning in March 2016; “Back to God,” with Reba McEntire (one week, March 2017); “You Say” (a record 132 weeks, beginning in July 2018); “The Christmas Song” (one week, January 2019); and “Hold on to Me” (four weeks, starting in June 2021).
Singer-songwriter Lena Byrd Miles notches her first leader on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart as “WOW (Walk on Water)” climbs to No. 1 on the survey dated May 6. The song increased by 7% in plays in the tracking week ending April 27, according to Luminate.
Miles, who grew up in San Leandro, Calif., and was raised in Oakland, co-authored the song with Warryn Campbell (who also produced it) and Eric Dawkins.
“Wow unto ‘WOW,’” marveled Miles after hearing the news of her first leader on any Billboard chart. “I’m just tickled pink that it’s No. 1, and over-the-moon happy about it. God has blown my mind once again. I just have to say ‘thank you’ to all of my supporters.”
“WOW” is from Miles’ rookie album, Brand New, which was released last October.
“WOW” is Miles’ third Gospel Airplay entry. It follows “This Is the Day,” which reached No. 23 in September 2019, and her featured turn on Jason McGee & The Choir’s “Promises,” which climbed to No. 11 that February.
Prior to launching her solo career, Miles worked with other gospel artists such as Tye Tribbett, Lalah Hathaway, Deitrick Haddon and Dorinda.
Winans’ ‘Worthy’ in Top 10
On Billboard’s streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Gospel Songs chart, CeCe Winans’ “Worthy of It All” ascends 11-10. The song becomes her sixth solo top 10 on the tally, with four earned this decade. (She also boasts two top 10s, logged in 2009-10, as a duo partner with brother CeCe Winans.)
tobyMac Within One of Record
On Billboard’s multi-metric Hot Christian Songs chart, tobyMac adds his 28th top 10 as “Cornerstone,” featuring Zach Williams, jumps 14-8. The song also leaps 9-5 on Christian Airplay (4.7 million in audience, up 14%).
tobyMac moves to within one of the record for the most top 10s since Hot Christian Songs began in 2003. Casting Crowns, MercyMe and Chris Tomlin have tallied 29 each.
Williams, meanwhile, adds his eighth top 10 on the chart.
Singer-songwriter and producer Fred Jerkins’ “I Believe,” featuring Bishop Paul S. Morton, reaches No. 1 on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart (dated April 15).
The song, Jerkins’ third Gospel Airplay leader and Morton’s first, increased by 1% in plays March 31-April 6, according to Luminate.
The song was solely written and produced by Jerkins, who hails from Galloway, N.J.
“It feels so amazing to have achieved my third No. 1 as an artist on Billboard‘s chart,” says Jerkins. “Also, being able to share this with a legend like Bishop Paul Morton makes it extra special for me.”
Jerkins previously topped Gospel Airplay with “Patiently Praising,” for a week in January 2021, and “Victory,” featuring Last Call, for two frames in April 2019.
Morton’s first Gospel Airplay leader is among 11 appearances, starting in 2005. His lone additional top 10 is “Your Best Days Yet,” which reached No. 4 in 2013. (Also among his history on the chart: “Seasons Change,” with legend Aretha Franklin, hit No. 40 in 2005.)
In addition to his career in music, Morton is the founding bishop of Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International in Atlanta, as well as overseer of Greater St. Stephen Ministries in New Orleans.
Notably, with “I Believe” reaching the Gospel Airplay pinnacle in its 47th week, it completes the longest trip to No. 1 since the chart started in March 2005. It passes two songs that each took 46 weeks to the top: Jonathan McReynolds’ “Make Room” led for a week in December 2019 and Donnie McClurkin’s “I Need You” reigned for a week in April 2017.
Maher’s Fourth Leader
On Billboard’s Christian AC Airplay chart, Matt Maher scores his fourth No. 1 with “The Lord’s Prayer” (up 9% in plays).
Maher previously ruled with “Alive & Breathing,” featuring Elle Limebear, for two weeks in July 2020; “Glory (Let There Be Peace),” for a week in January 2017; and “Because He Lives (Amen),” for four frames beginning in April 2015.
Dante Bowe and Jonathan McReynolds tied as BMI’s Gospel Songwriter of the Year at the 2023 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards, which were held at Flourish in Atlanta on Thursday, March 30. Mike O’Neill, BMI’s president and CEO, and Catherine Brewton, vice president, creative, Atlanta, hosted the event.
Bowe and McReynolds each wrote two of the most performed gospel songs of the previous year. Bowe was honored for “Joyful” and “Promises” and McReynolds for “Brighter” and “Grace.”
BMI Gospel Song of the Year went to “Believe for It,” written by CeCe Winans and Mitch Wong (APRA). The song spent 12 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs chart and garnered multiple accolades including two GMA Dove Awards and a Grammy for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song.
BMI’s Gospel Publisher of the Year went to Be Essential Songs for publishing award-winning songs “Brighter,” “Jireh,” “Promises” and “Something Has to Break.”
Gospel music superstars Tamela & David Mann and Dr. Bobby Jones received Trailblazer of Gospel Music honors.
The musical tributes to The Manns kicked off with Zacardi Cortez and Anaysha Figueroa-Cooper performing “Now Behold the Lamb,” followed by Lisa Knowles-Smith performing “Take Me to the King.” After accepting the honor, Tamela Mann surprised the audience with a performance of her hit “Change Me,” which spent 23 weeks at No. 1 on Hot Gospel Songs.
The tribute performances honoring Jones’ legacy kicked off with The Company singing “What a Friend,” followed by a rendition of “Bring it to Jesus” featuring Beverly Crawford.
During the ceremony, the late, legendary Otis Redding was honored with four BMI Million-Air Awards, a distinction that recognizes songwriters whose works have surpassed one million broadcast performances on radio. The songs were “Sweet Soul Music” (4 million performances), “Hard to Handle” (7 million performances), “Respect” (7 million performances) and BMI’s Song of the Year in 1968, the classic “(Sittin’ on) the Dock of the Bay” (12 million performances). Family members, including Redding’s widow Zelma and their daughter Karla Redding-Andrews, accepted the honors on behalf of her father and the Otis Redding Foundation.
The luncheon began with McReynolds, Chandler Moore and Kirk Franklin performing a medley of three of BMI’s award-winning songs, “Grace,” “Jireh” and “Kingdom.”
Additional performances included a tribute to the late singer-producer-choir director Kevin Lemons, who was known for his work with Donald Lawrence and the Company, and his own group, Kevin Lemons and Higher Calling. Members of Higher Calling hit the stage for a performance of “Perfect Peace” accompanied by Donald Lawrence and The Company.
Other award-winning songs performed throughout the evening included “Just Like God” by Evvie McKinney, “Great” by Kelontae Gavin and “Wonderful is Your Name” by Melvin Crispell.
Gospel music luminaries David and Tamela Mann, as well as Dr. Bobby Jones will be honored during the upcoming 22nd annual Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards on March 30.
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The event, to be held at Flourish Atlanta, will be hosted by BMI president/CEO Mike O’Neill and BMI vice president, Creative Catherine Brewton.
“BMI is thrilled to be back in Atlanta celebrating the best in Gospel music,” said Brewton via a statement. “We’re extremely proud to honor powerhouse couple Tamela and David Mann for their incredible contributions to the Gospel community, the enduring legacy of Dr. Bobby Jones and the songwriters and publishers behind the top Gospel songs of the previous year. Through song and praise, they deliver inspirational messages of hope, faith and goodwill to music lovers around the world. We feel truly blessed to bring these trailblazers together in fellowship and celebrate their creative works.”
In the 1990s, Tamela and David toured the world as part of the gospel group Kirk Franklin and the Family, before launching solo careers and joint ventures, creating Tillymann Entertainment in 2005 as a base for their various entertainment projects. In 2018, they released Us Against the World, their first collaborative album as a duo. A companion book to the album earned the couple a NAACP Image Award for outstanding literary work, while the album launched the hit “Ups & Downs.” The Manns also launched the Overcomer Family Tour, with their son David Jr. and their daughters La’Tia and Tiffany.
Beyond music, the Manns have appeared in several Tyler Perry plays, films and movies, and starred in their own sitcom, Mann & Wife, and the docuseries It’s a Mann’s World. As a solo artist, Tamela has issued six studio albums and earned a Grammy, BET Award, Billboard Music Award and multiple NAACP, GMA Dove and Stellar Gospel Music awards.
Singer, television host and radio broadcaster Jones will be honored for his more than four decades in entertainment. For more than 35 years, he served as the host of Bobby Jones Gospel on BET, and is credited with giving artists including Yolanda Adams, Kirk Franklin and Mary Mary their first national television exposure. In 1984, Jones earned a Grammy for best soul gospel performance by a duo or group for “I’m So Glad I’m Standing Here Today” with Barbara Mandrell. He has also received recognition from the GMA Dove Awards, and the Stellar Awards, and was inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame earlier this year.
Throughout the ceremony, BMI will also recognize the songwriters, producers and music publishers of the past year’s 25 most performed gospel songs in the United States. The BMI gospel song, songwriter and publisher of the year will also be named during the event.
