6th Annual ASCAP

Some of Gospel Music’s greatest artists were honored at the ASCAP Morning Glory Breakfast reception. The ASCAP is an organization of professional members which include all genre of songwriters, composers and music publishers. The extraordinary platform promotes and licenses its members and foreign affiliate’s music. It also obtains fair compensation for the public performance of their works and distributes the royalties that it collects based upon those performances. In its 6th Annual year, the event was held in Las Vegas, Nevada at The Orleans Hotel. Honored at the reception was Pastor Smokie Norful, who received the “Spirit of Song” Award. The honoree was also nominated for Stellar Awards: Artist of the Year, Contemporary CD of the Year – “Forever Yours,” Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year. The Williams Brothers received the “Gospel Icon” Award at the ASCAP and was nominated for Stellar Awards: Group/Duo of the Year, Quartet of the Year, Traditional Group/Duo of the Year. The event was hosted by Grammy-Award winner Michelle Williams.

Specials performances included Dorinda Clark-Cole and William McDowell, who was nominated for Praise and Worship CD of the Year – “Withholding Nothing,” Traditional CD of the Year – “Withholding Nothing,” and Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year. Also in attendance were other ASCAP Stellar Award nominees including Larry D. Trotter for Traditional Choir of the Year, Charles Butler for Contemporary Choir of the Year, Darnell Davis for Contemporary Choir of the Year, Harmony Samuels for Song of the Year – “Say Yes”, Rick Robinson for Producer of the Year, STL3 for Youth Project of the Year – “All Things New”, Tasha Page-Lockhart for Albertina Walker Female Vocalist of the Year, Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year, New Artist of the Year, Warryn Campbell for Producer of the Year, Song of the Year – “Help”, Will Bogle for Producer of the Year, along with recording artists Kirk Franklin, Shawn Stockman and The Walls Group, songwriter Gerald Haddon and motivational speaker/preacher DeVon Franklin. (Photo Credit: George Bekich, Picture Group)