Gospel Duo, Mary Mary, Walk Away With Four Stellar Awards

GROUP AND HEZEKIAH WALKER TIE WITH 4 STELLAR AWARDS EACH

News provided by

Jan 21, 2010, 07:25 ET

NEW YORK, Jan. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Gospel royalty, Mary Mary, ushered in the new-year by taking home four awards at the 25th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards ceremony held in Nashville, TN on January 17, 2010. Tied with Hezekiah Walker for the most wins this year, Mary Mary took home awards for "Song of The Year" for "God In Me," "Group/Duo of the Year," "Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year," and "Urban Inspirational Single/Performance of the Year" for "God In Me."

In December 2009, Mary Mary's critically acclaimed album, The Sound, was named the year's Top Gospel Album by Billboard magazine. The gospel-duo was also named Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist, Duo/Group and Top Gospel Artist by the industry guide. Earlier that month, Mary Mary, received a 2009 Grammy® Award nomination for the record-breaking single, "God In Me," in the Best Gospel Song category. Last year, the duo took home a Grammy® Award (its second overall) for the hit single, "Get Up," in the Best Gospel Performance category and a 2009 American Music Award for Favorite Artist, Contemporary Inspirational.

The year 2009 was truly celebrated by the duo who won a Dove Award, an NAACP Image Award and a BET Award for its album, The Sound. According to Billboard Magazine, Mary Mary's "God In Me" had earned the highest rank for a song that has spent 52 weeks on a chart in the Nielson SoundScan era (since 1992.) The former record holder, R. Kelly's "Step In The Name Of Love," was number 11 after a year on the list. Mary Mary is now the only gospel act to have at least two top tens this decade on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart, "Shackles (Praise You)" peaked at #9 in 2000.

The Sound occupied the #1 slot on the Billboard Gospel Album chart for more than six months since its release in October 2008 and was #1 for nineteen consecutive weeks. The Sound has also spent four weeks at #1 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart.

Heralded as "Praiseworthy" by People magazine, The Sound peaked at #1 on a variety of Billboard Christian and Gospel albums charts shortly after its release in October 2008. The Sound entered the Billboard Top 200 at #7, giving Mary Mary their highest chart position -- and second Top 10 -- album on that chart (2005's Mary Mary peaked at #8 on the Top 200). Mary Mary and The Sound achieved one of the highest chart debuts on the Top 200 of any gospel album released in 2008. A bona-fide crossover smash, The Sound made a "Hot Shot" debut on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart at #2.

The 25th Annual Stellar Awards will begin airing on January 23 and airs in New York on January 24.

For a list of airing dates/times visit: http://www.thestellarawards.com/soul.html and click on "Local Airdates" on the navigation bar on the left.

www.mary-mary.com

www.columbiarecords.com

SOURCE Columbia Records