Gospel Music Fever

Congratulations to this year's finalists for the 2019 Billboard Music Awards. Cory Asbury, Lauren Daigle, For King & Country, and Hillsong Worship all picked up nominations in each of the Christian categories The Billboard Awards will take place at MGM Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 1, 2019, at 8 PM ET and will be broadcast live on NBC

Category 3 MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR Jonathan McReynolds, Make Room, Entertainment One Category 4 ALBERTINA WALKER FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR Jekalyn Carr, One Nation Under God, Lunjeal Music Group Category 5 DUO/CHORUS GROUP OF THE YEAR The Walls Group, The Other Side, RCA Inspiration/Fo Yo Soul Recordings Category 6 NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR Jabari Johnson, Day of Redemption, Entertainment One Category 7 CD OF THE YEAR Make Room, Jonathan McReynolds, Entertainment One Category 8 CHOIR OF THE YEAR Bishop Noel Jones & City of Refuge Sanctuary Choir, Run to the Altar, JH/Tyscot Category 9 PRODUCER OF THE YEAR Jonathan McReynolds & Darryl “Lil Man” Howell, Keith “Wonderboy” Johnson, Keep Pushin, Wonder Spirit/SRT/Shanachie Category 12 CONTEMPORARY MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR Jonathan McReynolds, Make Room, Entertainment One Category 14 CONTEMPORARY FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR Tasha Page-Lockhart, The Beautiful Project, RCA Inspiration/Fo Yo Soul Recordings Category 15 TRADITIONAL FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR Jekalyn Carr, One Nation Under God, Lunjeal Music Group Category 16 CONTEMPORARY CD OF THE YEAR

Spiritual Awakening, believed to be among the longest-running gospel music TV shows on the East Coast, will air its final broadcast this Sunday (March 31), according to the show's host, Bishop Terence Jenkins. After host Mabel Gary died in 1978, the program title changed to Spiritual Awakening, with hosting responsibilities going to Gary’s sister, Sandra Byrd. Dona regularly schedules top regional and national talent to perform and minister to a weekly audience on WRAL-TV and sister station WRAZ-TV. Spiritual Awakening has won the Torchbearers Award for Excellence, presented by the Raleigh/Triangle Chapter of the Gospel Music Workshop of America and also a Community Service Award presented by the Capital City Academy in Raleigh.

After twenty-eight years of leading the label, Doug Williams is officially retiring from his role as President and CEO of Blackberry Records as of April 1, 2019. Williams was instrumental in signing such artists to the label as Bishop Paul S. Morton, The Canton Spirituals, The Williams Brothers, and many others. When asked about the future of Blackberry Records now that he's retiring, Williams states, "As of now, the future of the company is to be determined; however, we'll make an official announcement once that decision has been made." Doug Williams was an instrumental catalyst behind Blackberry's numerous Grammy nominations and Stellar Award wins.