Page 9 - Florida Sentinel 9-29-17

Local
3rd Annual Tampa Bay Gospel Awards Event To Be Held Saturday
BY KENYA WOODARD Sentinel Feature Writer
Over the last three years, the Tampa Bay Gospel Awards has grown from a modest gathering, to a pre- miere showcase that draws hundreds to see the winners accept honors for ‘best new artist,’ ‘song of the year,’ ‘best worship leader,’ and more.
But the focus, this Satur- day, will be more on the gospel, than the awards, the founder of the event, Jorad Holmes said.
“We have church; we worship and we praise,” he said. “Don’t come to spec- tate, but expecting God to do something.”
The ceremony will take place at Brown Memorial Church of God in Christ, a venue that can accommodate what Holmes said is certain to be a crowd much larger than the estimated 1,300
who attended last year’s event.
Response has been “amazing” with attendees and nominees coming from out of state, he said.
“It’s mind-blowing,” he said. “I would have never guessed that as a 29-year- old, seeing the work God is doing through me and mak- ing people smile.”
Planning and managing an awards show can be over- whelming and Holmes has employed a full staff to assist him.
And while the shows are successful, they have not been without some chal- lenges.
In 2015, singer and award nominee, India Welch, along with her sisters, La’- Mour Welch and Tehira Welch and singing partner, Antwayne Robinson, were killed in a car crash just months before the event. A month after the ceremony,
The founder of the Tampa Bay Gospel Awards, Jorad Holmes
popular Tampa gospel singer, Sheila Upshaw passed away.
This year, organizers had to contend with the effects of Hurricane Irma.
Holmes said the trials
have pushed him and his staff to work harder to pro- duce a stellar event.
“Even through that, God has been blessing us,” he said.
Holmes said he’s “overly excited” about the awards show, which he started in 2014 in response to lack of recognition of Tampa Bay’s gospel talent.
That includes not only singers and musicians, but spoken word artists, promot- ers, and Christian rappers.
It’s the inclusion of the above that sets the Tampa Bay Gospel Awards apart from similar events, Holmes said.
The event’s uniqueness is highlighted in this year’s theme of “Bridging the Gap,” which extends to not only the different sectors within the genre, but also the multiple
denominations under Chris- tianity, he said.
But the overarching mes- sage of the event is healing, Holmes said.
“We want to see people healed and delivered, set free,” he said. “People can come in hurt. Come as you are.”
If You Go
The 3rd Annual Tampa Bay Gospel Awards begins with a pre-show at 5 p. m. fol- lowed by the main event at6p.m.atBrownMe- morial Church of God in Christ, 2313 E. 27th Ave., in Tampa. Tickets are $10 in advance at www.tampabay- gospelawards.com or $15 at the door. Visit the website for more infor- mation or call (941) 448- 3906 or (813) 732-9949.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2017 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 9-A