Left: (L-R) BMI's Wardell Malloy and Catherine Brewton, Tamela Mann, David Mann and BMI President & CEO Mike O'Neill attend BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards on March 30, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BMI)
Gospel music superstars Tamela & David Mann and Dr. Bobby Jones were celebrated today at the 2023 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards held at Flourish in Atlanta, GA. The awards show paid tribute to the best in the Gospel music community and honored BMI’s GospelSong of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Publisher of the Year and the top 25 Gospel songs of the previous year. BMI’s President & CEO, Mike O’Neill and Vice President, Creative, Atlanta, Catherine Brewton hosted the event.
Throughout the event, BMI saluted the Top 25 most-performed Gospel songs of the previous year, leading up to the coveted BMI Gospel Song of the Year, which went to “Believe For It” written by CeCe Winans and Mitch Wong (APRA). The song spent 12 weeks at the number one spot on Billboard’s Hot Gospel Chart and garnered multiple accolades including two GMA Dove Awards and a GRAMMY for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song. BMI’s Gospel Songwriter of the Year was a tie between Dante Bowe and Jonathan McReynolds for each writing two of the most performed Gospel songs of the previous year. Bowe was honored for “Joyful” and “Promises” and McReynolds for “Brighter” and “Grace.” BMI’s Gospel Publisher of the Year went to Be Essential Songs for having award-winning songs “Brighter,” “Jireh,” “Promises” and “Something Has to Break,” among its repertoire.
To join the conversation on social media, follow @BMI and use #BMIGospel. Visit bmi.com/trailblazers2023 to see a full list of BMI’s Trailblazers of Gospel Music Award honorees.
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