Kirk Franklin, Charles Jenkins, John P. Kee, and Ed Cash Honored at the 2025 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards in Atlanta
On Friday, April 4th, the 2025 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards took center stage at Flourish in Atlanta, GA, celebrating the most impactful names in Gospel music. The star-studded evening recognized gospel pioneer and pastor John P. Kee as a Trailblazer of Gospel Music for his over four-decade-long influence and artistry that has shaped the genre globally.
Hosted by BMI President & CEO Mike O’Neill and Vice President, Creative, Atlanta, Catherine Brewton, the private ceremony also honored top achievers with awards for Gospel Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, and Publisher of the Year, alongside the announcement of the 25 most-performed Gospel songs of the past year.
As one of the evening’s highlights, John P. Kee received the Trailblazer honor in recognition of his unmatched ability to fuse traditional and contemporary Gospel. During the presentation, O’Neill applauded Kee for his “extraordinary contributions that have greatly influenced the Gospel genre and deeply touched the community.”
The musical tributes to Kee were nothing short of electrifying. Lena Byrd Miles opened with an emotional rendition of “Yes Lord”, followed by Chrystal Rucker’s performance of “The Anointing.” Kelontae Gavin and Jekalyn Carr captivated the audience with “Never Shall Forget” and “Standing in the Need” respectively. Lisa Knowles-Smith, along with her children KJ and Ndia, honored Kee with “Lily in the Valley” and “He’ll Welcome Me.” Gospel legend Vanessa Bell Armstrong, with Donald Lawrence and The Company, followed up with “Wave It Away,” and Zacardi Cortez brought the tributes to a rousing close with “Jesus is Real.”
Grateful and visibly moved, Kee addressed the room with heartfelt words:
“Every time you win an award, I win an award… I’m just a proud Uncle John.”
View this post on Instagram
In a surprise twist, Kee turned the spotlight onto Catherine Brewton, presenting her with a Lifetime Achievement Award for her groundbreaking work: “vision and determination that have paved the way for future generations of women in business.”
The celebration ended on a high note as Kee led the room in a powerful, spontaneous rendition of his hit song “New Life.” He was soon joined by fellow gospel giants including Kirk Franklin, Marvin Sapp, Jonathan McReynolds, Lisa Page Brooks, Eric Dawkins, Zacardi Cortez, and Tasha Page-Lockhart in an unforgettable finale.
Throughout the event, BMI honored the top 25 most-performed Gospel songs of the year, culminating in the announcement of BMI Gospel Song of the Year, awarded to “Goodness of God”—written by Ed Cash, Ben Fielding (APRA), and Jason Ingram, and performed by CeCe Winans. The song achieved notable chart success, including #1 on the Billboard Gospel Airplay chart, #15 on US Hot Christian Songs, and #2 on Hot Gospel Songs. It also held the #1 spot on Billboard’s Gospel Digital Songs Sales chart for an astounding 118 weeks.
Kirk Franklin and Charles Jenkins tied for Gospel Songwriter of the Year, with Franklin being recognized for “All Things” and “Try Love,” and Jenkins honored for “God Be Praised” and “Look at God.” This marks Franklin’s fourth Songwriter of the Year award and Jenkins’ first win in the category, bringing his total BMI Awards to eight.
View this post on Instagram
Capitol CMG took home Gospel Publisher of the Year for having the largest publisher share of the top 25 tracks, including the standout hit “Goodness of God.”
The 2025 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards once again affirmed the powerful legacy and continued evolution of gospel music, spotlighting the icons and visionaries shaping its future.
Permission to copy articles/excerpts from this site is subjected to credit given to Gmusicplus with linkback
