Ricky Dillard blazes into 2015 as one of the most nominated artists for this year’s Stellar Gospel Music Awards. The peerless choir master received 10 Stellar Gospel Music Award nominations – including the “big 5” categories of Artist of the Year; Song of the Year; Male Vocalist of the Year; CD of the Year and Choir of the Year.
“I am grateful to God to continue to make music that is recognized by my peers in the Gospel music industry as best in class,” says Dillard of the nominations. “During one of my most challenging personal seasons God poured out blessing upon blessing and grace beyond measure to revitalize my spirit – and this spiritual revitalization is represented in AMAZING. The support for this album and for these songs has been nothing short of astounding to me. I am thankful for every nomination that I have received and I am looking very forward to this year’s Stellar Awards.”
“This is a very exciting time for Ricky Dillard,” says Phil Thornton, Vice President and General Manager, Urban Inspirational, eOne Music. “It is the rare artist who gets the opportunity, after more than 25 years of making music, to be acknowledged by their peers and to maintain relevance in the market. Ricky has done just that and these 10 Stellar Award nominations are the culmination of his commitment to excellence in Gospel music.”
Dillard also received nominations for Producer of the Year; Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year; Traditional CD of the Year;Traditional Choir of the Year and Recorded Music Packaging of the Year.
Last June, Light Records released Dillard’s ninth album, AMAZING. The live set marks the 25th anniversary of his notable choir, the New Generation Chorale, and is a sonic masterpiece that has been at the top of the charts since its debut. The album’s first single – the title track, “Amazing” – premiered during a standout performance at the 2014 Stellar Gospel Awards and recently became the longest running song at Gospel radio this decade, with a phenomenal 25 weeks in the #1 slot.
Ricky Dillard’s recording career began was catapulted in 1989 when his New Generation Chorale won the McDonald’s Chicagoland Choir Competition. Shortly thereafter, Ricky Dillard and New G recorded their debut album The Promise, which garnered a Grammy nomination and a GMWA Excellence Award. Dillard then worked with Patti LaBelle and Albertina Walker for a PBS television special that opened the door for him to lead the choirs for the 1992 film Leap of Faith starring Steve Martin and the 1993 film Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit starring Whoopi Goldberg. By 2003, Ricky Dillard was the choir director for and featured in The Fighting Temptations starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Beyoncé Knowles.
Ricky Dillard and New G have released several instantly classic albums including Worked It Out (1996), No Limit (2000), The 7th Episode (2007), Keep Living (2011) and, finally Amazing (2014). Each album builds creatively and inspirationally on the other to cement the New G sound: high octane vocals that bring life to every word of every lyric, with pure vertical praise and worship elements as well as shed-busting urban Gospel heft. The recordings of Ricky Dillard & New G have earned three Grammy Award nominations and four Stellar Gospel Music Awards.
The Stellar Gospel Music Awards will tape March 28 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada for national broadcast on TV One April 5th.
