Walker, who serves as managing partner of Walker and Associates, LLP, has a practice that includes litigation, intellectual property, business and corporate law. He has represented Academy Award-winning actor/recording artist Jamie Foxx; BET star/host Dr. Bobby Jones; Grammy Award winner Yolanda Adams; film director Bill Duke; The Source Magazine; and been an active participant in many BMI-sponsored music business panels.

Damita Haddon, Fred Jerkins, BMI's Catherine Brewton, Rodney Jerkins

Honorees at the Delta Airlines-sponsored luncheon were BMI contemporary gospel artists The Rance Allen Group and Pastor John P. Kee, who each received a Trailblazer Award plaque in recognition of their outstanding achievements in gospel music. Highlights of the event included performances by gospel greats Men of Standard, Kirk Franklin, J Moss, Vanessa Bell-Armstrong, Smokie Norful and 2005 Stellar Award winner Deitrick Haddon, whose Voices of Unity was named Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year.

Bobby Jones and John P. Kee	Teresa Hairston (Gospel Today) and Bishop Paul Morton

In addition to Haddon's Stellar Award, BMI songwriters and artists celebrated a near sweep of the trophies at this year's ceremony. Multiple winners included the Williams Brothers and Bishop Paul S. Morton & the FGBF Mass Choir, who each earned three, and CeCe Winans and Israel Houghton & New Breed, who took home two wins each. Winans' Born Again Church Choir also picked up an award for Contemporary Choir of the Year.

Steve Allen (The Rance Allen Group), Rance Allen (The Rance Allen Group), Joe Ligon (Mighty Clouds Of Joy)

BMI Award-winning songwriter/artist Dottie Peoples added another Traditional Female Vocalist statue to her collection, while Gospel Music Hall of Fame member Fred Hammond was named Producer of the Year.

Bishop Paul Morton and Bercy Bady	Kirk Franklin and Vanessa Bell Armstrong

John P. Kee and Vanessa Bell Armstrong	Kirk Franklin and Tye Tribett

New Artist of the Year
Martha Munizzi

Male Vocalist of the Year
Israel Houghton

Female Vocalist of the Year
CeCe Winans

Fred Jerkins, Tye Tribett, J. Moss

Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year
Deitrick Haddon Presents Voices of Unity

CD of the Year
Israel and New Breed
Another Level

Traditional Group/Duo of the Year
The Williams Brothers

Tye Tribett and Micah Stampley	J. Moss and BMI's Catherine Brewton

Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year
Bishop Paul S. Morton

Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year
CeCe Winans

Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year
Dottie Peoples

Trin-i-tee 57

Traditional CD of the Year
Luther Barnes & The Sunset Jubilaires
It's Your Time

Music Video of the Year
Bishop Paul S. Morton
Let It Rain

Traditional Choir of the Year
Bishop Paul S. Morton & The FGBCF Mass Choir

BMI's Wardell Malloy, BMI's Catherine Brewton, Fred Hammond

Contemporary Choir of the Year
Born Again Church Choir (CeCe Winans)

Quartet of the Year
The Williams Brothers

Donnie McClurkin, Fred Jerkins, Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond

JoAnn Rosario, Donnie McClurkin	BMI's Catherine Brewton, Israel (Israel & New Breed), Kim Burrell

Tye Tribett, Lowell Pye (Men of Standard), Rance Allen (The Rance Allen Group), Steve Allen (The Rance Allen Group), Donnie McClurkin, Isaac Carree (Men Of Standard), Kirk Franklin

Lowell Pye (Men Of Standard), Donald Lawrence, BMI's Catherine Brewton, JoAnn Rosario, Rance Allen (The Rance Allen Group), John P. Kee, Steve Allen (The Rance Allen Group), Isaac Carree (Men Of Standard)

Donald Lawrence, lil' i ROCC, J. Moss, Joe Wilson

BMI's Wardell Malloy, J. Moss, Donald Lawrence, Paul Allen

Vanessa Bell Armstrong and Rodney Jerkins	Vanessa Bell Armstrong and BMI's Wardell Malloy

]]> 2005-01-31T17:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233192 Artists, Jones, Bobby, Musical Styles, Country, Jazz, Rock, Urban, Type, Legal Grammy Showcase, hosted by the Nashville Chapter of the Recording Academy®. Chosen by top music industry professionals from over 500 entries, finalists Marcus Cole, Alana Grace, Sony Holland, Ide, Matt Jenkins, Kim's Fable and Sweet-T will compete for extensive prizes including an artist development package and a performance slot at the 2003 Nashville Grammy Block Party.

The event will take place at The Trap, a new venue located at 201 Woodland Street (across from the Coliseum). Tickets to the showcase, sponsored by BMI and the Rage, can be purchased for $10 in advance at the Recording Academy office and will be sold at the door on a first come, first serve basis. For Recording Academy members, the ticket price also includes a pre-show VIP reception and reserved seating. General admission seating will begin at 6:45 p.m. for the 7:00 pm showcase.

The finalists chosen to perform represent a variety of music genres. Marcus Cole, an urban gospel artist, has previously produced, arranged and written for projects such as W.O.W. 2000 & 2001, and Sean "P.Diddy" Combs, and appeared on BET's "Bobby Jones Gospel." Alana Grace, a 14-year-old actress, dancer, singer, and songwriter, has won numerous regional and national awards, and has written with many noted songwriters, including Keith Thomas and Blue Miller. Sony Holland, a jazz vocalist who has previously won Music Row magazine's "DisCovery Award" and a Nashville Lifestyles magazine's "25 Most Beautiful People" selection, performs along with her husband Jerry and pianist Dennis Burnside. Ide, a four-piece modern rock band with a post-grunge style, worked with producer/engineer Mark Niemiec (India.Arie) on their current independently released album. Matt Jenkins, a 19-year-old singer/songwriter from Aledo, Tex., was awarded Country Male Vocalist of the year at South Plains College. Kim's Fable, a six-piece rock band with Middle Eastern and classic rock influences, recently won the Audience Pick for Best Nashville Band on CitySearch.com. Finally, Sweet-T, a group of five friends who are all sophomores in college, has a unique sound that can be attributed to the diverse musical interests of it's members, each brings an element of jazz, pop, rock, folk, and soul.

The 2nd Annual Nashville Grammy Showcase will give industry professionals and music connoisseurs a chance to glimpse the hottest new acts in a new venue. Additionally, this year the audience will have an opportunity to vote for the winner of the grand prize, a performance slot at the 2003 Grammy Block Party. The winner will also receive an artist development package, which includes time and services with some of Nashville's top industry professionals, including a photo session, hair and makeup, a professionally written bio and liner notes, image consulting, legal advice, tax planning, album art direction, vocal coaching, studio time with a producer, engineer, musicians, and more.

Established in 1957, the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc. (NARAS), also known as the Recording Academy, is dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for music and its makers. An organization of 18,000 musicians, producers and other recording professionals, the Recording Academy is internationally known for the Grammy Awards, and is responsible for numerous groundbreaking outreach, professional development, cultural enrichment, education and human services programs.

Pictured at the MGM Grand Hotel luncheon are Gospelcity.com's Christopher Heron and Daniel Yeboah, Jr., Vickie Winans, BMI's Thomas Cain and Dr. Bobby Jones

The retreat kicked-off with a New Talent Showcase on Sunday, followed by the "It's Gospel Time" Showcase. The remaining schedule was filled with workshops and training sessions for Gospel media & press, artists and record executives, plus a luncheon hosted by BMI and Gospelcity.com. Among the artists in attendance were Albertina Walker, Kurt Carr, Hezekiah Walker, Lucinda Moore, Lawrence Thomason, Frederick and Erica Barr, Sharon Jackman, Kim Burrell, Byron Cage, Beverly Crawford and Vickie Winans. The retreat's Gospel Time showcase was taped; look for "Live From Vegas" on Bobby Jones and the Word Network, as well as on BET and BET Gospel channel. For more information, visit http://www.bobbyjonesgospel.com.]]> 2002-01-24T17:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/232874 Artists, Franklin, Kirk, Hammond, Fred, Jones, Bobby, Winans, CeCe, Winans, The, Musical Styles, Christian, Gospel Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, Dr. Bobby Jones, Vicki Mack-Lataillade, Richard Smallwood, Albertina Walker, and BeBe & CeCe Winans.