The Clark Sisters were the evening’s big winners with five Stellars, including top honor, Artist of the Year. Dorinda, Jacky, Karen, and Twinkie said that their farewell performances and CD, Live One Last Time, had garnered so much enthusiasm that they might just have to do it one more last time. The Clark Sisters performed their current hit, “Blessed and Highly Favored,” at the awards ceremony (see photo).
The Clark Sisters’ nephew J Moss earned Stellars for Contemporary CD of the Year for V2… and Music Video of the Year for a hit from V2…, “Operator.” Maurette Brown Clark and her daughter Jada Simone Clark each received Stellars, for Praise & Worship CD of the Year (The Dream) and Children’s Performance of the Year, respectively.
Meanwhile, one of the show’s co-hosts, CeCe Winans, received the Chevrolet Most Notable Achievement Award for her career in gospel music and philanthropic ventures. Her sister Vickie’s Woman to Woman: Songs of Life won Recorded Music Packaging of the Year.
DeWayne Woods of Chicago also had plenty of cause to celebrate, with Stellars for New Artist of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year. In addition, “Let Go,” a single from Woods’ debut project and one he performed live at the ceremony, earned a Stellar for Urban/Inspirational Single of the Year, and one for the song’s composer, P Morton, son of New Orleans’ beloved Bishop and Mrs. Paul S. Morton. Bishop Morton himself collected Traditional CD of the Year honors for Still Standing.
Besides winning in the categories of Female Vocalist and Traditional Female Vocalist, gospel legend Tramaine Hawkins was honored with the Allstate James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award. A teary Tramaine recalled for the audience the controversy surrounding her 1986 release of “Fall Down” (which became a dance hit), how none other than James Cleveland silenced the naysayers by publicly embracing her as “my girl” at a GMWA gathering, and how her husband, a retired schoolteacher, sacrificed his life savings to invest in her latest hit CD, I Never Lost My Praise.
The Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones Legends Award went to two iconic Chicago female groups: the Caravans, and DeLois Barrett Campbell and the Barrett Sisters. Both groups have been singing for more than 50 years and were present in the front row, alongside Jones, wearing bedazzling dresses and beguiling smiles, providing plenty of inspiration for the artists onstage.
Among the show’s many live performances, Chicago’s Ricky Dillard and New G tore the roof off the Grand Ole Opry House with its spirited singing and choral choreography.
A complete list of the 2008 nominees and winners can be found at the GOSPELFlava website:
http://gospelflava.com/stellar/stellarresults-2008.html
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Written by : Bob Marovich
Bob Marovich is a gospel music historian, author, and radio host. Founder of Journal of Gospel Music blog (formally The Black Gospel Blog) and producer of the Gospel Memories Radio Show.
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Great article.
Congratulations to all of the winners.
Thank you, Ducky — and congratulations to Detroit gospel!
I enjoyed your site. God Bless.
Walter Sean
http://gospelcentraltv.tripod.com
Mattie Moss Clark and Bill Moss would be proud of the musical family they raised.
The Winans, the second family of gospel in Detroit are not going to be left behind.
The “contemporary” quartet, The Rance Allan Group, came through as well.
Walter Sean, thanks for visiting. Come back often, and God bless your work, as well!
Ricky Dillard and New G was truly the highight of the Stellars for me…OMG!!! They never cease to amaze me…..
Dewayne Woods and WSM deserve every single award…thats CD is what Gospel ministry is about, so many people have been touched by his testimony, and the song “Let Go”.
I enjoyed your blog, it was very informative, and accurate.
Thanks for visiting! I agree with you on all counts! “Let Go” is a lovely song, especially touching to hear in person.
What happened to Reverend Isaac Douglas? So many black gospel artist like him and Beverly Glenn we have no idea if they are alive or when they went on to be with the Lord. Can you help with this?
Hello — according to Bil Carpenter’s “Uncloudy Days,” Rev. Issac Douglas passed away back in 1988. I’ll have to find out about Beverly Glenn and get back to you. She certainly was a major inspiration to many in her career.
Information on the Rev. Issac Douglas is hard to find. I have a good friend who when growing up had the opportunity to sing with him in his group.
Hi — the best source for information on Rev. Isaac Douglas is Bill Carpenter’s “Uncloudy Days” which is a gospel music encyclopedia and has an entry on Rev. Douglas.
Reverend Isaac Douglas. Some reverend. I remember this poor example of christianity from the 1970s in Nashville, TN, when he and his cronies seduced teenage boys to his apartment on Murfreesboro Rd. Teenage boys who were part of choral groups, and huge fans of his work, and he molested them under the auspices of giving a tour of his apartment. This man was a monster. I pray he is able to give some profound reason for his behavoir to our God.