Jennifer Hudson, Tamar Braxton, Smokey Robinson, K. Michelle And Wale Among Performers For Soul Train Awards 2013

NEW YORK, Oct. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- CENTRIC, a BET Network, today revealed that Jennifer Hudson, Tamar Braxton, Smokey Robinson, K. Michelle, Ron Isley, Wale, Eric Benet, Candice Glover, Kem, Chrisette Michele, Bobby Caldwell and Joss Stone will be hitting the stage as performers for SOUL TRAIN AWARDS 2013. This year's show pays homage to the soul soundtrack of the 90's, allowing fans to reminisce on a decade of influential black cinema and music. Charged with keeping the party going throughout the night are Grammy Award winning producers 1500 or Nothin' and legendary keyboardist Greg Phillinganes who have both been tapped as music directors for the show. As previously announced, comedian and actor Anthony Anderson will host the event in Las Vegas on November 8th, which will air on CENTRIC and BET, December 1, 2013 at 8PM ET/PT.

"We are gearing up for a big show this year, and the performers set to take the stage are just the beginning of what's to come. I hope everyone is ready because Centric is bringing the party to Las Vegas come November 8th," said Paxton Baker, General Manager and Executive Vice President, CENTRIC. "We are forever grateful for the involvement of so many amazing performers and their loyalty to the Soul Train and Centric brands. Music is the core of Centric's DNA and our diverse roster of new talent and legendary artists display our continued commitment to providing quality programming for soul music lovers."

For the first time, SOUL TRAIN AWARDS 2013 will be held at the Orleans Arena, one of the nation's leading mid-size arenas. Also marking a first for the award show is the addition of a second stage, which will feature a rotating mix of celebrity DJs. Hip-hop sensation Kendrick Lamar leads this year's nominations with six nominations across multiple categories, including: Best New Artist, Album of the Year and Song of the Year. Tied with five nominations each are Miguel, Justin Timberlake, Robin Thicke, Chris Brown, Tamar Braxton and Janelle Monae.

SOUL TRAIN AWARDS 2013 is directed by Tony McCuin and produced by Centric TV and Sunseeker Media. Executive producers of the network telecast are as follows: Paxton Baker, Tami Arasli, Derek Lewis from Centric; Bart Phillips from Sunseeker Media and Kenard Gibbs from Soul Train Holdings. This year's motto is We Got Soul.

For more information, please visit BET.com/SoulTrain. Follow us at @centrictv and @bet, and join the conversation with #SoulTrainAwards #WeGotSoul.

About CENTRIC

Centric is a 24-hour music and entertainment channel that reflects the lifestyle and sophistication of today's African-American and multicultural adult viewer.  With a finger on the pulse of an ever-changing beat, its compelling music content fuses Soul, R&B, Neo-Soul, Hip Hop, Reggae, Gospel, Jazz, Old School, New School and everything in between with today's hottest artists. It is a unique of mix of music, culture and lifestyle programming that embodies the lives, tastes and aspirations of the CENTRIC viewer. Centric: What's Good.

About BET Networks

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

About Soul Train Holdings

Soul Train is a registered trademark of Soul Train Holdings, LLC, a limited liability company headquartered in Los Angeles, CA. Soul Train is the longest running, first -run, nationally syndicated program in television history. During its 37 year run, the show featured such staples as the Soul Train line and performers as important and diverse as: Al Green, Ike & Tina Turner, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Whitney Houston, David Bowie, Janet Jackson and Beyonce, to name a few. Soul Train Holdings was created following the acquisition of the iconic franchise and catalog of more than 1,100 hours of archival footage from Don Cornelius Productions in June 2008 by InterMedia Partners and Madvision entertainment and is part of Vibe Holdings LLC. Vibe Holdings is a leading multi-cultural media company consisting of treasured and celebrated brands including Vibe Magazine, Vibe.com, Uptown Magazine and Soul Train. VIBE Holdings is owned by InterMedia Partners, Magic Johnson Enterprises and Ron Burkle's Yucaipa Companies.

About the Orleans Arena

Celebrating its 10^th anniversary in 2013, The Orleans Arena, a Boyd Gaming facility located just west of the Las Vegas Strip, is one of the nation's leading mid-sized arenas, and was recently ranked No. 1 in the United States and No. 5 Internationally among venues of similar size by Venues Today Magazine.  As many as 500,000 people per year enjoy a variety of 200 events annually. These include top concerts by artists like Carrie Underwood, Billy Joel, Van Halen and Blake Shelton. The Orleans Arena also hosted the 2013 Academy of Country Music Fan Jam, headlined by Brad Paisley with support from other chart-topping country artists. The venue offers a diverse calendar of events, from family favorites like Disney Live and Shrine Circus to other unique events like motorsports and mixed martial arts. The arena hosts two NCAA tournaments each year in addition to the West Coast Conference and Western Athletic Conference basketball championships. The arena is home to three sports tenants including the Las Vegas Wranglers professional ECHL hockey team, the Legends Football League and the Las Vegas Legends professional indoor soccer team.  For more information call 702-365-7469, or visit www.orleansarena.com. Stay connected to the Orleans Arena on Facebook (www.facebook.com/orleansarena) and on Twitter (@orleansarena).

SOURCE Centric