Journalists Among Gospel Music Legends Awardees

Veteran journalists Jenni Campbell and Cecelia Campbell-Livingston were among the 18 recipients of the Caribbean Gospel Legends Music Awards, which were given by Gospel Vibes Radio FM on Saturday.

The two, along with radio disc jockey Marshall Redwood, are currently affiliated with the Freedom Come Rain Newspaper and TBC FM, respectively, which are both operated by the Tarrant Baptist Church in Kingston. The trio walked away with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Organiser of the event, Dr. Delroy Lingo, said he started hosting the awards show five years ago after the Lord laid it on his heart to start honouring the legends in the gospel music arena.

“A lot of the great men and women who have paved the way, the new generation has given them no form of respect,” he said.

“Truth be told, most of these new gospel artists, if you ask them certain names, they have no clue,” he added.

Campbell, Campbell-Livingston, and Redwood have, through their work over the years, promoted the work of these artistes.

Dr. Lingo, who is more popularly called Delingo, said it is important that younger artistes are familiar with those who are considered legends in the industry.

“It really looks bad when a new generation has no clue as to who it is that has paved the way. If they only knew what the artiste went through for them to be able to be ministering and making a livelihood of what they have now,” he shared during the red carpet award show, which was held at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel in Kingston.

“The secular world is totally different. Every new artiste can tell you about all the legends, and in the American arena I see the same thing, but sad to say, from the local perspective, gospel artiste don’t know,” he lamented.

Well known evangelist, Reverend V.T. Williams, was given the Ambassadorial Award, while Dr Alma Blair from the Deliverance Evangelistic Association Inc. was named the Woman of Excellence awardee.

Other recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award were Sam Wisdom, Dr. Arnold Kelly, George Scott, Edwin Myers, Patrick Kitson, Claff Browning, Jeffrey Thomas, Junior Bailey, John Williams, John Sharpe, Rev. Stephenson Samuels, Tony Hutton and Rev. Don McDowell.

Delingo, who has served the gospel music fraternity as a producer, distributor, singer, emcee, freelance radio announcer, and gospel music ambassador, said he has been trying to host the event in Jamaica for the last three years.

“The reason why I am here is because many artiste that I have tried to acknowledge, some don’t have a visa, some can’t afford to fly to the USA, and so it is I decided to come to Jamaica and do a one-off,” he said.

Delingo launched the Gospel Vibes Radio Network in 2008, which currently broadcasts to eleven radio stations across the globe. The Gospel Vibes Radio Show is currently the largest Caribbean gospel syndication show, with over 20 million listeners worldwide.