BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) paid tribute to the best and brightest in Gospel music with its Trailblazers of Gospel Music celebration. The honorees were announced on BMI.com and across the organization’s digital platforms, celebrating the inspirational and transformative music of BMI’s accomplished Gospel songwriters.To honor these achievements, BMI created a page on its website where fans can watch special video messages and performances,listen to award-winning music and learn more about their favorite Gospel songwriters: https://www.bmi.com/trailblazers2020.

The hymn “I’m Getting Ready,” co-written by Todd Galberth, received BMI’s Gospel Song of the Year. Performed by Tasha Cobbs Leonard, featuring Nicki Minaj, the song spent 52 weeks on Billboard’s Gospel charts and peaked at number one, earning Galberth one of BMI’s top honors and his very first BMI Gospel Award.

Kirk Franklin received the Songwriter of the Year title for writing three of BMI’s most performed Gospel songs of 2019; “If You Don’t Mind,” “Love Theory,” and “Never Alone.” The 16-time GRAMMY winner now has 17 BMI Awards to add to his collection of accolades including three BMI Gospel Song of the Year awards, BMI’s 2012 Trailblazers of Gospel Music honoree recognition and multiple Dove and Stellar awards, among many others.

Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing received Publisher of the Year distinction for representing five of the top performing Gospel songs of the previous year, “If You Don’t Mind,” “I'm Getting Ready,” “Never Alone,” “Stand In Awe” and “Victory.”

BMI also paid homage to the Twenty Most Performed Gospel Songs of the Year(2019). This year’s crop of talented winners featured 20 first-time Trailblazer Award recipients, including Maranda Curtis for her hit song “Nobody Like You Lord.”

For a complete list of winners, video messages and performances, go tohttps://www.bmi.com/trailblazers2020.

Sherry Mackey

95.7 Hallelujah FM · Memphis' Inspiration Station