In the beginning, there was Soul Train, young people dancing on television to the top R&B/Soul Music. It was the first music television show in history to bring together multi cultural and multi-generations in one room to JAM! With it's debonaire host Don Cornelius who kept the audience on the edge of their seats. The live guest celebrity performers werealso a treat that no other network was bringing to the table.
Ahead of its time, Soul Train began in the 1970's and continued momentum and strides throughout the 80's and 90's. Eventually other T.V. producers sparked ideas for their own music shows inventing BET and MTV music shows with the same format as Soul Train. Soul Train went beyond the norm and began recognizing successful musicians by creating the legendary Soul Train Awards. It's first Awards show highlighted the top artists in urban music for the current year as well as honoring outstanding legendary musical icons as well.
Soul Train aired every Saturday Morning for 35 Years! But in 2007 the show was abruptly canceled unable to hold up against the growing numbers of newer much younger shows. Nonetheless, in 2008, publishing and entertainment company MadVision took up the mantle and purchased the company for distribution. Now owned by Kenard Gibbs, Peter Griffith and Anthony Maddox, who have worked to re-establish “Soul Train” as one of the premier voices in African American entertainment. “I think that the ‘Soul Train’ brand is such an iconic brand,” Gibbs says. “What it has represented throughout its almost forty-year history has been urban music, and excellent entertainment. And it has also represented a great multigenerational family form of entertainment. You can sit down and watch ‘Soul Train’ with your mother, your grandmother and everybody would find some element of the show that they liked — whether it was the current artists, the fashion or the dancing.
“Centric Presents: The 2009 Soul Train Awards” is poised to be one of the biggest events in music. The show will honor the legends of black music and celebrate the brand that has historically supported them — and vice versa. Artists such as Chaka Khan, Charlie Wilson, L.A. Reid and Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds are among the luminaries to be celebrated for their contributions to black popular music and the entire show will be a culmination of all that “Soul Train” has brought to audiences over the years.
“We thought it was important to bring the awards show back because artists — just as when Don initially developed the Soul Train Awards — still need a platform to reach their audience. In spite of and in addition to what they have with radio and the various broadcast outlets that play videos, artists still like to perform in front of an audience that genuinely wants to see them perform, and they want to be a part of a brand that is bigger than them,” says Gibbs.
This year's Award Show will be hosted by Hustle and Flow's star and co-star, Academy Award nominees Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard. This star studded event will take place at the Georgia World Congress Center on Nov. 3, 2009.The 2009 Soul Train Awards will tape at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta on November 3 and premiere simultaneously on Centric and BET on Nov. 29 at 9 pm/et. Centric went live on air Sept. 28 via digital cable and satellite cable carriers.
This is going to be an exciting day for the African American community and beyond as there is a lot of buzz surrounding the event. Although it is an invite only affair word on the street is that everyone will be coming out to support the show. Eb Shari of GossipinDivas.com a celebrity gossip blog site editor says: " Our outlet didn't get an invitation but we will be attending a gifting lounge session for the nominees. We want to support and participate in some way. This is a historical moment and I'm 26 Yrs Old I must be apart of it."
Network producers decided to assemble an all-star lineup including Toni Braxton,Trey Songz, Erykah Badu, Robin Thicke, Fantasia, Ryan Leslie, Chrisette Michele, Raheem DeVaughn, Karyn White, Boyz II Men, Ledisi, Chico Debarge, Angie Stone, Brian McKnight, Ginuwine, Melanie Fiona, and Johnny Gill among others.
According to BVNewswire.com: "The two-hour ceremony will also honor the late, great Michael Jackson, who holds the record for most Soul Train awards won, with the special Entertainer of the Year Award.
As for this year's nominations, pop superstar Beyonce alongside Keri Hilson, and Maxwell lead the pack with four nominations each.
In addition, this year's show will honor the illustrious careers and musical influences of Chaka Khan, Charlie Wilson, L.A. Reid and Kenny "Baby Face" Edmonds.
Officially titled, 'Centric Presents: 2009 Soul Train Awards Show,' the event will premiere simultaneously on the new BET spin-off channel Centric and BET on Nov. 29 at 9 pm ET. Centric went live on air Sept. 28 via digital cable and satellite cable carriers. "
Below is a complete list of nominees and categories.
BEST NEW ARTIST
• Drake
• Jazmine Sullivan
• Keri Hilson
• Ryan Leslie
• Solange
BEST R&B/SOUL ARTIST FEMALE
• Beyonce
• Chrisette Michele
• Jennifer Hudson
• Ledisi
• Whitney Houston
BEST MALE R&B/SOUL MALE
• Charlie Wilson
• Maxwell
• Musiq Soulchild
• Raphael Saadiq
• Robin Thicke
SONG OF THE YEAR
• "God in Me" - Mary Mary
• "Pretty Wings" - Maxwell
• "Single Ladies (Put a ring on it)" - Beyonce
• "Spotlight" - Jennifer Hudson
• "Turnin Me On" - Keri Hilson/ ft Lil Wayne
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
• Beyonce - I am... Sasha Fierce (Platinum) Sony Music
• Jamie Foxx - Intuition (Platinum) J Records
• Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak (Platinum) Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam
• Maxwell - Blacksummer's Night (Gold) Sony Music
• Ne-Yo - Year of the Gentleman
RECORD OF THE YEAR (SONGWRITER AWARD)
• Beyonce - "Single Ladies (Put a ring on it)"
• Drake - "Best I ever had"
• Jamie Foxx Ft/T-Pain - "Blame it"
• Keri Hilson - "Knock You Down"
• Maxwell - "Pretty Wings"
BEST REGGAE ARTIST AWARD
• Movado
• Sean Paul
• Serani
• Tarrus Riley
• Ziggy Marley
CENTRIC AWARD - SOUL APPROVED/UNDERGROUND
• Corneille
• Eric Roberson
• Laura Izibor
• Maysa
• The Knux
BEST GOSPEL PERFORMANCE MALE, FEMALE OR GROUP
• BeBe and CeCe Winans - "Close To You"
• Fred Hammond f/John P Kee - "They That Wait"
• Marvin Sapp - "Praise Him in Advance"
• Mary Mary - "God In Me"
• Smokie Norful - "Justified"
BEST COLLABORATION
• Keri Hilson featuring Kanye West & Ne-Yo - "Knock you Down"
• Keyshia Cole featuring Monica - "Trust"
• Mario featuring Gucci Mane and Sean Garrett - "Break up"
• Mary Mary featuring Kierra (KiKi) Sheard - "God In Me"
• Trey Songz featuring Drake - "Successful"
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Comments
I will be there
Great article!
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