The 2026 Stellar Gospel Music Awards celebrated the best in gospel music from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C., on Saturday (Aug. 15), with Kirk Franklin hosting. Lisa Knowles-Smith walked away with five awards, leading a night that also honored Darrel Walls and Vincent Bohanan & SOV with multiple wins.
Knowles-Smith, 42, claimed the Albertina Walker female artist of the year award for her album ‘Revival: Live in Dallas,’ recorded with The Brown Singers. She also won duo/chorus/group of the year and quartet of the year alongside the group, producer of the year with Frederick Perry, and song of the year for ‘Promises (Live).’ The song, which she wrote under her real name Alescia Knowles-Smith, reached No. 5 on Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs chart in June.
Walls, 35, took home artist of the year and contemporary male artist of the year, both for his album ‘Heart of Mine.’ Vincent Bohanan & SOV won three awards for their album ‘Live in New York’: album of the year, choir of the year in a tie with JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise, and contemporary choir of the year.
Jonathan McReynolds, John P. Kee, Jekalyn Carr, and The Brown Singers each earned two wins. Kim Person, who entered the ceremony with seven nominations alongside John P. Kee, left without a trophy.
Tasha Cobbs Leonard received the Aretha Franklin Icon Award, while Pastor Mike Jr. accepted the Thomas A. Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award.
The ceremony will premiere on The Stellar Network, available on Charter Spectrum and Verizon Fios, on Saturday, Aug. 29, at 8 p.m. ET, with an encore at 10 p.m. ET. The national cable debut follows on BET on Sunday, Aug. 30, at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. ET. The show will then expand to broadcast TV syndication from Sept. 5 through Sept. 27. In Charlotte, WBTV (CBS) is the local broadcast partner, and Bounce TV will air it on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 1 p.m. ET.
The 41st Stellar Gospel Music Awards was executive produced by Don Jackson, founder of the Stellar Awards and chairman of Central City Productions, Inc. Jennifer J. Jackson served as producer and executive in charge of production, with Michael A. Johnson as producer and director, Erin Johnson-Pressley as talent producer, and Daniel Moore as music director.
Full Winners List
Artist of the Year: Darrel Walls, ‘Heart of Mine’
Contemporary Male Artist of the Year: Darrel Walls, ‘Heart of Mine’
Albertina Walker Female Artist of the Year: Lisa Knowles-Smith, ‘Revival: Live in Dallas’
Song of the Year: ‘Promises (Live),’ written by Alescia Knowles-Smith
Duo/Chorus/Group of the Year: Lisa Knowles-Smith & The Brown Singers, ‘Revival: Live in Dallas’
Quartet of the Year: Lisa Knowles-Smith & The Brown Singers, ‘Revival: Live in Dallas’
Album of the Year: Vincent Bohanan & SOV, ‘Live in New York’
Choir of the Year (tie): Vincent Bohanan & SOV, ‘Live in New York’; JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise, ‘The Live Reunion: Washington, DC’
Contemporary Choir of the Year: Vincent Bohanan & SOV, ‘Live in New York’
Producer of the Year: Alescia Knowles-Smith & Frederick Perry, ‘Revival: Live in Dallas’
Other winners announced during the ceremony included Jonathan McReynolds for ‘Still (Live)’ featuring Jamal Roberts, Ablaze for their self-titled album, and Deitrick Haddon for the song ‘Find Jesus.’
The 2026 Stellar Gospel Music Awards recognized a wide range of talent, with the ceremony set to reach audiences across multiple platforms in the coming weeks.
