The 30th Love Gospel Awards took place on November 27 in The Bronx, New York. True to form, it honoured the year’s top performers in inspirational music as well as persons who made a mark in the borough’s West Indian communities.

It was a good evening for singer/producer Brotha George who won Song Of The Year for Divine Light. A former dancehall artiste who recorded at Channel One, he converted to Christianity over 20 years ago and has recorded a number of gospel albums.

Stacey Bless, who began her recording career this year, won Best New Artiste on the strength of her song Cross Over, produced by Brotha George.

Cross Over is flavoured by the Revivalist sound Stacey Bless heard through her grandmother as a child. Raised in the Church of God, she said her win, “Feels great. It’s awesome. “

Singer Andre Revilation won an award for Sailing On, while Bishop Michael McInnis, Barrington Reid and Winsome Douglas were inducted in the Love Gospel Awards Hall of Fame.

The event also recognised the contribution to community of the Hawthorne family, founders of Golden Krust Restaurant.

Bishop Jeffeth Baker, founder of the Love Gospel Awards, is originally from Westmoreland. He was ordained by the Church of God in Cleveland, Tennessee, in 1987 after more than a decade of ministering with the New Testament Church of God in Jamaica.

He has led the congregation at Grace Assembly Deliverance Temple in The Bronx since 1983.

— Howard Campbell