Grand Slam for Marvin Sapp at the 24th Annual Stellar Awards
By Lisa Collins, senior music editor, GospelMusicChannel.com
For Marvin Sapp, 2008 was centered around a song and five little words that forever changed his life: “Never Would Have Made It." The song fueled sales of his current CD Thirsty to more than 600,000 copies, spent 42 weeks as the #1 song at gospel radio, landed him the #1 position on the Urban AC Chart, and on Saturday night at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House, it brought him Stellar Awards in every category he was nominated in.
There were seven in all, including Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and CD of the Year. That’s not including the awards it generated for Aaron Lindsey (Producer of the Year) and Michelle Lukianovich (Music Packaging of the Year).
It was a night Sapp never thought would come.
“Not like this, at least,” said the speechless, 42-year-old Zomba recording artist, who began his career 19 years ago with the group Commissioned.
“I didn’t do this with the intent of receiving such success and acclaim. That’s never been my passion,” Sapp reflects. “It’s always been ministering to the hearts and minds of people. This is a great day.”
And even on this night, Sapp is more thankful about how the song has helped people.
“I got a call from Bernie Mac’s family when he passed and they sent a private jet for me to come and sing at his funeral,” Sapp recalls. “I didn’t make it to the funeral, but I went to his house and just sang “Never Would Have Made It” to the family.
“I’m not going to lie to you. I’m so very delighted that the industry has recognized my efforts,” Sapp continues, “but that moment sticks out in my mind, because I never imagined my pain would help so many. To some, 'Never Would Have Made It' is just a song, but it’s more than a song to me because I had to live through some stuff to get it.”
Another of the night’s big winners was Jonathan Nelson, whose debut Integrity CD, Right Now Praise, featuring Purpose, earned him three Stellar Awards including Contemporary CD of the Year, Group/Duo of the Year and Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year.
Ricky Dillard, whose comeback project The 7th Episode: Live in Toronto was a top ten chart success, pocketed two awards, including Choir of the Year.
“We earned a Stellar Award with my second album Holy Ghost Takeover, but we’ve been waiting 14, 15 years for this opportunity," said the Chicago-based choir director. “I couldn’t be happier.”
Other highlights of the two-hour long broadcast scheduled to air March 1 on Gospel Music Channel, included a spirited rendition of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" (with footage of President Elect Barack Obama as the backdrop) and a new artist segment featuring The Murrills, Terrell Hunt, and Jessica Greene, who was named New Artist of the Year.
Vickie Winans was presented the Thomas Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award by her two sons, Marvin Jr., and R&B vocalist, Mario, while an ailing Daryl Coley was honored with the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award. The Rance Allen Group received the Dr. Bobby Jones Legend Award.
The telecast, hosted by Donnie McClurkin, Dorinda Clark-Cole and Sinbad, also featured performances from Kirk Franklin, Heather Headley, Tye Tribbett, and Rap/Hip-Hop Gospel CD of the Year winner, Da’ T.R.U.T.H.
Check out a complete list of the winners:
Artist of the Year
Marvin Sapp, Thirsty, Verity/Zomba Label Group
Song of the Year
Marvin Sapp and Matthew Brownie, “Never Would Have Made It,” Thirsty, Zomba Label Group
Male Vocalist of the Year
Marvin Sapp, Thirsty, Verity/Zomba Label Group
Female Vocalist of the Year
Dorinda Clark-Cole, Take it Back, Zomba Label Group
Group/Duo of the Year
Jonathan Nelson featuring Purpose, Right Now Praise, Integrity Music
New Artist of the Year
Jessica Greene, 4 the World, Habakkuk Music
CD of the Year
Marvin Sapp, Thirsty, Verity/Zomba Label Group
Choir of the Year
Ricky Dillard & New G, The 7th Episode: Live in Toronto, NuSpring Records/EMI Gospel
Producer of the Year
Aaron Lindsey, Thirsty, Zomba Label Group
Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year
Jonathan Nelson featuring Purpose, Right Now Praise, Integrity Music
Traditional Group/Duo of the Year
The Canton Spirituals, Driven, Verity/Zomba Label Group
Contemporary Male of the Year
Byron Cage, Live at the Apollo: The Proclamation, Gospocentric/Zomba Label Group
Traditional Male of the Year
Marvin Sapp, Thirsty, Verity/Zomba Label Group
Contemporary Female of the Year
CeCe Winans, Thy Kingdom Come, PureSprings Gospel
Traditional Female of the Year
Beverly Crawford, Live from Los Angeles, JDI Records
Contemporary CD of the Year
Jonathan Nelson featuring Purpose, Right Now Praise, Integrity Music
Traditional CD of the Year
Marvin Sapp, Thirsty, Verity/Zomba Label Group
Urban/Inspirational Single or Performance of the Year
Kirk Franklin, "Declaration: (This Is It)," The Fight of My Life, Of Yo' Soul/Gospocentric/Zomba Label Group
Music Video of the Year
Marvin Sapp, “Never Would Have Made It," Verity/Zomba Label Group
Traditional Choir of the Year
Bishop Paul Morton & The Full Gospel Baptist Church Choir, Embracing the Next Dimension, Light Records/Delilah
Contemporary Choir of the Year
Ricky Dillard & New G., The 7th Episode: Live in Toronto, NuSpring Records/EMI Gospel
Instrumental Gospel CD of the Year
Angélla Christie, The Breath of Life, ACSM Music
Special Event CD of the Year
The Clark Sisters, The Best of the Clark Sisters Encore, Dexterity Sounds
Rap/Hip-Hop Gospel CD of the Year
Da' T.R.U.T.H., Open Book, Cross Movement Records
Children's Project of the Year
Kara Miller, In God’s Time/It Isn’t Over, GFM Entertainment
Quartet of the Year
Lee Williams & The Spiritual QCs, So Much to Be Thankful For, MCG Records
Recorded Music Packaging of the Year
Michelle Lukianovich, Art Direction & Design; Keith Major, Photography, Marvin Sapp, Thirsty, Verity/Zomba Label Group
Praise & Worship CD of the Year
Shekinah Glory Ministry, Jesus, Kingdom Records
