Back to News
African American Christian
Aug 1, 20260 views2 min read

John P. Kee Headlines 41st Stellar Gospel Music Awards in Charlotte with Seven Nominations

The 41st annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards will be taped live at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 15, 2026, with Kirk Franklin returning as host. John P. Kee and Kim Person lead all nominees with seven nominations each, while Tasha Cobbs Leonard received the Aretha Franklin Icon Award.

John P. Kee Headlines 41st Stellar Gospel Music Awards in Charlotte with Seven Nominations
Source:Billboard

The 41st annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards will be taped live at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 15, 2026.

Kirk Franklin returns as host for the ceremony, which airs on The Stellar Network and BET. WBTV serves as the local broadcast partner in Charlotte.

John P. Kee and Kim Person lead all nominees with seven nominations each. Tasha Cobbs Leonard and JJ Hairston and Youthful Praise each received six nominations.

In the Artist of the Year category, nominees include Darrel Walls, Jekalyn Carr, Kim Person, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, and Tye Tribbett.

The Albertina Walker Female Artist of the Year nominees are Adia, Jekalyn Carr, Kim Person, Lisa Knowles Smith, Maranda Curtis, and Tasha Cobbs Leonard.

Male Artist of the Year nominees include Asaun Bynum, Darrel Walls, John P. Kee, Jonathan McReynolds, and Tye Tribbett.

During the ceremony, Tasha Cobbs Leonard received the Aretha Franklin Icon Award. Pastor Mike Jr. received the Thomas A. Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award.

The awards are part of the Stellar Plus Experience, a three-day event running August 12 to 15 that includes masterclasses, unplugged performances, and a songwriters symposium. The pre-show and Gospel Radio Awards took place August 14 at the Carolina Theatre in Charlotte.

Nominations were announced June 3, 2026, across 31 categories plus six Gospel Radio categories.

Related Articles

Black Church Leadership Conference Draws 600 Pastors and Leaders to North Carolina Mountain Retreat
Read More
African American ChristianBaptist Press

Black Church Leadership Conference Draws 600 Pastors and Leaders to North Carolina Mountain Retreat

More than 600 pastors, church leaders, and lay people gathered at the Ridgecrest Conference Center in Black Mountain, North Carolina, from July 20 to 24 for the annual Black Church Leadership and Family Conference. The 2026 theme, Renewed, focused on spiritual refreshment and leadership development for ministry workers.

01
Rev. Jamal Bryant Calls Out Double Standard in IRS Scrutiny of Black Churches
Read More
African American ChristianUSA Today

Rev. Jamal Bryant Calls Out Double Standard in IRS Scrutiny of Black Churches

Rev. Jamal Bryant, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Georgia, publicly criticized what he called unequal enforcement of the Johnson Amendment. Bryant said the IRS scrutinizes Black churches more heavily than white evangelical institutions that align with conservative political causes.

06
National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus Convenes in Houston Under New Mission Focus
Read More
African American ChristianBlack Catholic Messenger

National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus Convenes in Houston Under New Mission Focus

The National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus held its annual convocation in Houston from July 21 to 24. NBCCC president Fr. Kareem Smith called on members to shift from administration to active discipleship. The gathering also celebrated the appointment of Auxiliary Bishop Robert Boxie III, the first new African American bishop in nearly a decade.

05