Johnny Gill, Bootsy Collins, Patrice Rushen and Hezekiah Walker will get their flowers at the ninth annual Black Music Honors. The live taping will take place at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta on Saturday, May 18. The ceremony will be co-hosted by singer/actress LeToya Luckett and comedic actor DeRay Davis.
Walker is a two-time Grammy winner. Collins has won one Grammy, as a featured artist on Fatboy Slim’s “Weapon of Choice.” Gill and Rushen have both been nominated for multiple Grammys, though neither has won, which will likely make this upcoming recognition all the more meaningful.
“We are extremely proud to bring more visibility to these tremendous icons who have stayed the course from humble beginnings to careers that span decades,” the show’s founder and executive producer Don Jackson said in a statement. “Their lives and stories are part of the beautiful tapestry of Black music…which has impacted the globe.”
The special will premiere on the Stellar Network on Saturday, June 1 at 8 p.m. ET with a rebroadcast at 10 p.m. ET. It will also air in national broadcast syndication June 8 – June 30 during Black Music Month. The show will also air on Bounce TV on Wednesday, June 19 (which is of course Juneteenth) at 9 p.m. ET.
The ninth annual Black Music Honors is executive produced by Jackson with Jennifer J. Jackson serving as producer and executive in charge of production; Michael A. Johnson as producer and director, Erin Johnson as talent producer and Daniel Moore as music director.
Tickets for the live-taping event are available at www.blackmusichonors.com or via Ticketmaster here. For more information, visit www.blackmusichonors.com.
Black Music Honors is an annual two-hour event that acknowledges artists who have made significant contributions to African-American culture and American music worldwide. The celebration of Black musical excellence began as Celebrate the Soul of American Music from 1990 to 1993. In 2016, it was revived as Black Music Honors to be part of Black Music Month celebrations. Black Music Honors is produced by Chicago-based production company Central City Productions.
Launched in April 2023 under the management of Central City Productions, Inc., The Stellar Network is a family-friendly, entertainment/lifestyle network targeting Black audiences. The Stellar Network can be found on Charter Spectrum, Verizon Fios and Xumo Play. For more information visit www.stellartv.com.