Avion Blackman Creates Upset with Album of the Year Win

Kerron also earned herself two (2) Marlins, one for Reggae Recording of the Year for the single “God is By Our Side” and one for Reggae Vocal Performance of the Year Duo/Group for “Holy Ghost Church” which she shares with DJ Nicholas. Several other artists earned two (2) awards including Bahamian male vocalist Kenyatta Taylor who won the Junkanoo/Rake & Scrape Vocal Performance of the Year Solo for his hot Junkanoo single “Shout Hallelujah”. Kenyatta also won for the single “Hold On To Jesus”, which was one of the stand out tracks from the compilation, CD “Bahama Praise Party”. Taylor shares this award with past Marlin winners Vanessa Rolle, Tamika Smith and male singer Rocky Solomon who all featured on the track.

Keeping things in the Bahamas, Tabernacle Concert Choir or better known as TCC won their first two (2) Marlins, one for Adapted Traditional Recording of the Year and Traditional Vocal of the Year Duo/Group for their rendition of the traditional classic “I Love to Praise Him”. Guyana born, New York based artist Cora Williamson also won two (2) Marlin Awards including one for Calypso/Soca Vocal Performance of the Year Female and Adapted Calypso/Soca Recording of the Year for her single “Firm Foundation”. Lavard “Manifest” Park CEO of Bahamian based Hip/Hop recording label Dunamus Soundz, won the Hip/Hop Recording of the Year along with his Dunamus Soundz Crew for their hard hitting track “Head Bangers”. Manifest picked up a second award for Hip Hop Vocal Performance Duo/Group featuring DJ Frost for the track “We’ve Only Just Begun” from his sophomore CD “Parables The Silent Struggles”.

There were several first time individual winners including St.Maarten native Paul Flemming who won the Calypso/Soca Vocal Performance of the Year-Male award for his single “Sing Hallelujah”, Barbados ensemble Second Coming won the Traditional Recording of the Year award for their soul stirring single “Heaven” and hot new group Judah Praise from St.Thomas USVI won their first Marlin Award for their hit “Hoorah For Jesus”. Also bringing home a Marlin Award for St.Thomas is Virgin Islands songbird Belinda who won the Adapted Contemporary Recording of the Year award for her inspiring rendition of “My Jesus I Love Thee”.