Tyscot Records, the oldest operating African American-owned gospel label in the world, is celebrating its 50th anniversary with nine Stellar Gospel Music Award wins for its affiliated acts.
The recent Grammy® Award-winning Heart of Mine (Gumbo Studios / Tyscot) album collaboration between Darrel Walls and R&B star PJ Morton earned three awards. Walls took home Artist of the Year and Contemporary Male Artist of the Year awards. Morton, who designed the album cover, took home the Recorded Music Packaging of the Year award. The biggest reward of all was that they took to the stage for a brilliant medley that opened with Morton at the piano, performing his gospel radio smash “Mercy” with the full throttle of Mariah Carey’s music director Daniel Moore pushing the band to explosive highs. Then, Walls strolled out as Morton continued to play and they segued into a heartfelt rendition of their Billboard No. 1 single, “Able.”
New Tyscot Worship signee Jonathan Nelson was on hand to co-present a traditional award with Shirley Caesar and Vickie Winans. Speaking of traditional, young buck Kelontae Gavin took to the stage to perform his viral smash “At the Meeting.” He was joined by quartet legends Melvin Williams of The Williams Brothers and Paul Porter of The Christianaires. Their explosive performance was one of the show highlights.
Veteran artist Deitrick Haddon and his Voices of Unity’s star-studded album ChainBreaker 2.5 (ManHaddon Ministries / Tyscot) earned him Music Video of the Year for the uplifting acoustic track, “Find Jesus.” Tyscot recently signed Baltimore, Maryland-based Brandon Camphor’s TOMii Entertainment production company to a recording deal. Camphor’s vocal group Brandon Camphor & One Way won a Best Traditional Duo/Chorus Gospel of the Year award for their soul-stirring track, “In Christ Alone.”
Tyscot co-founder Bishop Leonard Scott earned the Rev. James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award for his career as a label owner and traditional gospel recording artist. Also, WWDA 101.9 FM (a Clarksville, Tennessee-based radio station in which Tyscot has a minority interest) won the Small Market Radio Station of the Year award.
Gospel music legend John P. Kee’s current album, Throwback: An Evening with John P. Kee, Vol. 1 (Kee Music Group / Tyscot Records) earned the Traditional Male Artist of the Year and Traditional Choir of the Year awards. Among his many nominations is one for Special Event Album of the Year and Male Artist of the Year. Then, Kee closed the program with a get-up-outta-ya-seat medley of some of his biggest hits such as “Clap Your Hands,” “Show Up” and “Jesus is Real.” By that point, the whole audience was on its feet and shouting for more.
The sold-out 41st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards ceremony took place at Charlotte, North Carolina’s Spectrum Center, and it will air Sunday, August 30, 2026 @ 8 PM ET on Black Entertainment Television (BET). Visit www.tyscot.com for label news and www.thestellarawards.com for Stellar Gospel Music Awards news updates.
