Memphis is having a moment in gospel music. Lisa Knowles-Smith, 42, was the biggest winner at the 2026 Stellar Gospel Music Awards, taking home five trophies during the ceremony taped live at Charlotte’s Spectrum Center and hosted by Kirk Franklin.
Four of Knowles-Smith’s wins came for her album Revival: Live in Dallas, recorded with The Brown Singers. She won the Albertina Walker Female Artist of the Year award, Duo/Chorus/Group of the Year and Quartet of the Year alongside The Brown Singers, and Producer of the Year in a tie with Frederick Perry. Her fifth win, Song of the Year, honored “Promises (Live),” which she wrote under her given name, Alescia Knowles-Smith. The song climbed to No. 5 on Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs chart in June.
Knowles-Smith’s five-award night led all artists at this year’s Stellar Awards, ahead of Darrel Walls, who won two trophies for Heart of Mine, and Vincent Bohanan & SOV, who picked up three wins for Live in New York, including Album of the Year. The ceremony premieres on the Stellar Network Saturday, Aug. 29, with a national cable premiere on BET the following day.
