Marvin Sapp Big Winner at 24th Annual Stellar Awards

Pastor Marvin Sapp of Grand Rapids, Michigan was the top winner at the 24th Annual Stellar Awards, taped at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee Saturday evening, January 18.

Sapp, whose song “Never Would Have Made It” was an enormous gospel hit in 2008, walked away with eight awards, including Artist of the Year, Traditional Male Artist of the Year, CD of the Year (for Thirsty) and Song of the Year (for “Never Would Have Made It”).

Hosted by Sinbad, Dorinda Clark Cole, and Donnie McClurkin, the Stellar Awards Ceremony featured a stirring tribute to Rev. Timothy Wright, led by Kirk Franklin and Myrna Summers. Dionne Warwick sang “Battle Hymn of the Republic” during a special tribute to President-Elect Barack Obama.

The Allstate James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Daryl Coley. Vickie Winans received the first Thomas Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award, and the Rance Allen Group was honored with the Walgreens Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones Legends Award.

Two other firsts this year: the Gospel Music Channel is now the official cable home for the Stellars and will air the program on March 1, 2009. Meanwhile, RushmoreDrive.com will stream the Stellars pre-show — the part of the show not televised — on its site January 24.

Here’s an article on the event, published in The Tennessean.

Check with www.thestellarawards.com for a complete list of the evening’s Stellar Award winners and dates and times when the program will be televised locally in your area.