The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual award show which previously aired in national television syndication, and honors the best in Black music and entertainment. It is produced by the makers of Soul Train, the program from which it takes its name, and features musical performances by various R&B and Soul recording artists interspersed throughout the ceremonies. The special traditionally used to air in either February, March or April, but now airs the last weekend of November (in most years, Thanksgiving weekend).
The Soul Train Music Awards voting body includes active professionals in the fields of radio programming and music retail and management and recording artists with records that have charted in designated music trade publications in the year prior to proceedings.
Past hosts for the show include such R&B luminaries as Luther Vandross, Dionne Warwick, Patti LaBelle, Will Smith, Vanessa Williams, and Gladys Knight.
The Soul Train Music Award trophy has featured an African ceremonial mask since its 1987 introduction. R&B singer Janet Jackson holds the record for the most Soul Train Awards won by a female artist. Her brother Michael holds the record for the most Soul Train Awards by a male artist, as well as being the artist who has won the most overall. He surpassed sister Janet by 7. His total was 20; Janet's total was 13. R&B singer R. Kelly holds the record for the highest number of Soul Train Award nominations; the total is 22.
The 2008 ceremonies were not held due to several factors, including the 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike, the ill health of Don Cornelius at the time, and Soul Train distributor Tribune Entertainment terminating operations in the wake of the sale of Tribune Company to Sam Zell. With the rights to Soul Train acquired by MadVision Entertainment, the Soul Train Music Awards were presented on November 24, 2009 on Centric. MadVision now holds the rerun rights to Soul Train.
The 2009 ceremony was held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, marking the first time in the show's 22-year history it was held outside of the Los Angeles area. The 2010 awards was held on November 10 just outside Atlanta at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, and aired on BET and Centric on November 28. The 2011 show was once again held in Atlanta and aired on BET November 27th. The 2012 ceremony was held on November 25 at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, airing on BET & Centric.
Read more about Soul Train Music Awards: Soul Train Music Awards By Year, Award Categories, Special Awards, Defunct Award Categories, Most Wins/Nominations
Famous quotes containing the words soul, train and/or music:
“You are a little soul carrying around a corpse.”
—Epictetus (c. 55–c. 135)
“Still, I am prepared for this voyage, and for anything else you may care to mention.
Not that I am not afraid, but there is very little time left.
You have probably made travel arrangements, and know the feeling.
Suddenly, one morning, the little train arrives in the station, but oh, so big
It is! Much bigger and faster than anyone told you.”
—John Ashbery (b. 1927)
“Great music is that which penetrates the ear with facility and leaves the memory with difficulty. Magical music never leaves the memory.”
—Thomas Beecham (1879–1961)