Sunday Best | |
---|---|
Genre | Reality competition |
Presented by | Kirk Franklin |
Judges | |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 10 |
No. of episodes | 101 |
Production | |
Producers |
|
Running time | 60 minutes |
Original release | |
Network | BET |
Release | October 2, 2007 – August 30, 2015 |
Release | June 30, 2019 – August 23, 2020 |
Sunday Best is a reality television singing competition series hosted by Kirk Franklin. It first aired on BET on October 2, 2007.
In each season, the show and its judges set out to find the best undiscovered gospel talent in America. Finalists competed each week until a winner was crowned. The judges throughout the series' run included Gospel singers Yolanda Adams, Kierra Sheard, Donnie McClurkin, Mary Mary, Bebe Winans & Cece Winans. [1] Gospel singer Kim Burrell served as the on-screen mentor. [2]
Each season's winner receives a national recording contract, a new automobile, and an undisclosed cash prize benefiting his or her community as well as the title of 'Sunday Best'.
On April 18, 2019, it was announced that the series would return for a ninth season, which premiered on June 30, 2019. [3] Franklin returned as host and former Mary Mary member Erica Campbell also returning as a judge, with Kelly Price and Jonathan McReynolds joining as judges. Sunday Best was renewed by BET for a tenth season which premiered on July 5, 2020.
Season | Winner | Debut album | Release date |
---|---|---|---|
Season 1 | Crystal Aikin | Crystal Aikin | March 17, 2009 |
Season 2 | Y'Anna Crawley | The Promise | August 24, 2010 |
Season 3 | Le'Andria Johnson | Awakening of Le'Andria Johnson | September 6, 2011 |
Season 4 | Amber Bullock | So In Love | July 10, 2012 |
Season 5 | Joshua Rogers [4] | Well Done | December 4, 2012 |
Season 6 | Tasha Page-Lockhart [5] | Here Right Now | August 5, 2014 |
Season 7 | Geoffrey Golden [6] | Kingdom...Live! | August 17, 2015 |
Season 8 | Dathan Thigpen [7] | GetUp Vol. 1 Get Exposed To Unadulterated Praise | January 1, 2006 |
Season 9 | Melvin Crispell III [8] | Prologue III | September 20, 2019 |
Season 10 | Stephanie Summers [9] | Mighty Strong God | October 22, 2021 |
Kirk Dewayne Franklin is an American songwriter, choir director, gospel singer, and rapper. He is best known for leading urban contemporary gospel and Christian R&B ensembles such as The Family, God's Property, and One Nation Crew (1NC) among many others. He has won numerous awards, including 19 Grammy Awards. Variety dubbed Franklin as a "Reigning King of Urban Gospel", and is one of the inaugural inductees into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.
Yolanda Yvette Adams is an American gospel singer, actress, and host of her own nationally syndicated morning gospel show. She is one of the best-selling gospel artists of all time, having sold over 10 million albums worldwide. In addition to achieving multi-platinum status, she has won four Grammy Awards, four Dove Awards, five BET Awards, six NAACP Image Awards, six Soul Train Music Awards, two BMI Awards and sixteen Stellar Awards. She was the first Gospel artist to be awarded an American Music Award.
The 34th Annual GMA Dove Awards were held on April 10, 2003 recognizing accomplishments of musicians for the year 2002. The show was held at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee, and was hosted by CeCe Winans and Steven Curtis Chapman.
Mary Mary is an American urban contemporary gospel duo composed of sisters Erica Atkins-Campbell and Trecina Atkins-Campbell. Formed in 1998, Mary Mary was launched into mainstream recognition following the release of their best-selling debut album, Thankful (2000), which contained the hit single "Shackles ". Their followup album Incredible (2002), reached number one on the Top Gospel Albums chart. Their self-titled third album, Mary Mary (2005), which contains themes the public interpreted as a channel to the group's experience,. That album also contains the worldwide hits "Heaven", "The Real Party", and "Yesterday".
Donald Andrew McClurkin Jr. is an American gospel singer and minister. He has won three Grammy Awards, ten Stellar Awards, two BET Awards, two Soul Train Awards, one Dove Award and one NAACP Image Awards. He is one of the top selling gospel artists, selling over 10 million albums worldwide. Variety dubbed McClurkin as a "Reigning King of Urban Gospel".
American gospel singer Yolanda Adams has released 11 studio albums, 2 live albums and 6 compilation albums. With sales of nearly 10 million records worldwide, she was Billboard's Top Gospel Artist of the 2000s and has sold 4.5 million albums in the US since 1991. Adams is referred as the "First Lady of Modern Gospel" by the media. She has spawned 5 No. 1 albums on Billboard's Top Gospel Albums. The Gospel Music Association inducted her into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Mountain High... Valley Low remains her best-selling album in the US, being certified Platinum by RIAA, while her albums "Believe" and "Verity Presents: The Best of Yolanda Adams" both reached gold status respectively.
WOW Gospel 2001 is a gospel music compilation album in the WOW series. Released February 6, 2001, it comprises thirty-two songs on a double disc set. The album reached 75 on the Billboard 200 chart in 2001, and hit number one in both 2001 and 2002 on the Top Gospel Albums chart.
WOW Gospel 2002 is a gospel music compilation album in the WOW series. Released February 5, 2002, it includes thirty songs and two bonus tracks on a double album. It reached 46 on the Billboard 200 chart in 2002, and hit number one on the Top Gospel Albums chart.
WOW Gospel 2003 is a gospel music compilation album from the WOW series. Released February 4, 2003, it includes a total of thirty-three songs on two CDs. The album reached 29 on the Billboard 200 chart in 2003, and hit number one on the Top Gospel Albums chart in 2004.
WOW Gospel Christmas includes thirty songs on a double CD album. In 2007 it reached #78 on the Billboard 200 chart, took first place on the Top Gospel Albums chart, and 20th spot on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. In 2008 it reached 24th spot on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Sunday Best is a reality television series on BET.
Bernard Belle was an American composer, producer, and musician. After starting his career as an R&B guitarist, Belle became known as a songwriter for Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston and a producer of gospel music.
Sunday Best is a gospel-singing reality television competition on BET.
Sunday Best is a gospel-singing reality television competition on BET.
The 3rd BET Awards took place at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, California on June 24, 2003. The awards recognized Americans in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. Comedian Mo'Nique hosted the event for the first time.
The 4th BET Awards took place at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, California on June 29, 2004. The awards recognized Americans in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. Comedienne Mo'Nique hosted the event for the second time.
The McDonald's Gospelfest is an annual gospel music festival, talent competition, and fundraiser in Newark, New Jersey.
Joshua Rogers is an American gospel singer who rose to prominence in 2012 when he became the first male and youngest winner of Black Entertainment Television's Sunday Best during the show's fifth season.
Sunday Best is a gospel-singing reality television competition on BET.
The Experience is an annual, free gospel music concert held at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos Island, Nigeria. Begun and hosted by House on the Rock lead pastor Paul Adefarasin in 2006, the first concert had an attendance of 70,000 people.
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