BMI will celebrate the songwriters and publishers behind the year’s best in Gospel at the 2025 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards, held at Flourish Atlanta on Thursday, April 3rd. World-renowned Gospel music pioneer and pastor John P. Kee will be honored as a Trailblazer of Gospel in recognition of his award-winning career spanning over 40 years.
Throughout the ceremony, BMI will also recognize the songwriters, producers and music publishers of the past year’s 25 most-performed Gospel songs in the United States. The BMI Gospel Song, Songwriter and Publisher of the Year will also be named during the inspirational gathering. The private event will be hosted by BMI President & CEO Mike O’Neill and BMI Vice President, Creative, Atlanta, Catherine Brewton.
“John P. Kee is a true visionary in the genre, and his music continues to have an impact in Gospel music for over forty years and counting. It’s an honor to recognize his dedication and the unwavering commitment he’s made through his artistry and evangelism,” said Brewton. “We’re extremely excited to come together and celebrate his legacy and incredible accomplishments and proudly honor all of our award-winning songwriters and publishers for a special afternoon of great music and fellowship.”
John P. Kee, known as the “Prince of Gospel Music,” is a prolific multiple award-winning singer/songwriter and beloved pastor who is widely recognized for his contributions to contemporary Gospel music. Kee’s musical talents were discovered at an early age where after feeling inspired by the music heard in church, he began playing piano and writing songs at only eight years old.
In the mid 1980’s, he started a community choir in Charlotte that eventually became known as the widely celebrated New Life Community Choir (NLCC). Over the course of his professional career spanning almost four decades he has written music for Hallmark, Inc., The Hawkins Family, Daryl Coley, Billy Preston, Dorinda Clark Cole, Rev. James Cleveland, Bishop Rance Allen, Florida Mass Choir, Mississippi Mass Choir, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, and for the legendary Dr. James Cleveland's Gospel Music Workshop of America, among others.
His music has been featured in film, television, commercials and on Saturday Night Live. Throughout his solo career and his work with NLCC, he has amassed 37 GMWA Excellence Awards, 27 Stellar Awards, three BMI Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, a Soul Train Music Award, a Trailblazer Award from former President Bill Clinton and received eight GRAMMY nominations. Adding to his tremendous list of accolades, Kee was inducted into the International Gospel Hall of Fame in 2005 and was previously honored at the BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards in 2001 and 2005.
In addition to being one of Gospel music's greatest pioneers, Pastor Kee has been the full-time pastor of the New Life Fellowship Center in Charlotte, NC since its inception in 1995. Through non-traditional outreach that transcends the four walled structure, the church’s unique approach to ministry has resulted in a rapidly growing, thriving congregation.
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