Stellar Awards Honor Thomas Dorsey With “Thomas Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award”

The 24th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards
Return to Nashville on January 17, 2009

Confirmed to perform on the show are Deitrick Haddon,
Heather Headley, Mary Mary, Tye Tribbett, Dionne Warwick
and gospel rapper Da’ T.R.U.T.H.

Chicago, IL – Don Jackson, Chairman and CEO of Central City Productions, announced today that the “Most Notable Achievement Award,” a special Stellar Gospel Music Award for recognition of individuals doing outstanding work in the gospel music community, will be renamed the “Thomas Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award” in honor of the late Thomas Dorsey, the 1930’s creator and “Father of Gospel Music.” Stellar awards veteran Vicki Winans will be the first recipient of the “Thomas Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award.” The 24th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards will be held, once again, at the historic Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville on January 17, 2009. The show will be co-hosted by comedian Sinbad and the iconic Dorinda Clark Cole.

Also just announced are some of the confirmed performers for the star-studded awards show which include, Deitrick Haddon, Heather Headley, Mary Mary, Tye Tribbett, Dionne Warwick, and gospel rapper Da’ T.R.U.T.H., with more to come.

The Stellar Awards nominees were announced on October 21st and the full list of nominees is available at www.thestellarawards.com. This year’s list of nominees includes stars from every genre of gospel music including traditional, contemporary, urban and rap/hip-hop. Topping the list, with a phenomenal nine nominations, is chart-topping traditional gospel singer, Marvin Sapp who picks up nominations for “Song of the Year,” “Male Vocalist of the Year,” and “Traditional Male of the Year,” to name a few. Sapp is trailed by Jonathan Nelson with 8 noms, and Dorinda Clark-Cole and Kirk Franklin who tie with five nominations each. Clark-Cole and Franklin will compete against Sapp in the “Artist of the Year” and “CD of the Year” categories.