Jackson Music Awards 2025 celebrates Mississippi’s artists and entertainment professionals ‘For the Love of Music’

The 2025 Jackson Music Awards transformed the capital city into a music epicenter during its four-day affair (July 25-28), providing fans and industry insiders with stages that showcased and spotlighted Mississippi’s best artists and entertainment professionals…All “For the Love of Music.” And nobody loves the music more than organizers Jesse Thompson and Lee King who’ve been presenting “Jackies” now for 51 years! 

The event venues were comfortable and easily accessible, providing a setting where thousands of fans and artists could interact with each other in relaxed and sophisticated environments that met the highest standards for entertainment.

The Friday night kickoff for the Jackson Music Awards was held at Club 440, a sophisticated lounge setting in the heart of the Farish Street Historic District that provided ample room for everyone to mingle, network, and dance with Mississippi artists, fans, and friends. Many of the attendees at Club 440 knew each other as teenagers, young adults, and now as upcoming industry professionals who are making waves and big strides in entertainment circles, not only in Mississippi but worldwide. 

 Duling Hall in the Fondren District was the site of the Saturday night gathering that played host to the 11th Annual City with Soul Awards, and a blues extravaganza featuring the best bluesmen on the newly formed Emerald Tiger Artist Management roster, consisting of internationally acclaimed and GRAMMY-nominated bluesmen who are considered masters in the Birthplace of America’s Music. Fans packed the sold-out house to hear Mississippi’s own Zac Harmon, Stevie J, Dexter Allen, and Eddie Cotton. 

Jackson Music Awards producers Jesse and Judy Thompson presented the Drum Major Award to Lemuria Books for their consistency in telling Mississippi’s stories, especially music stories, as in the book “Jack Town USA.” Lemuria Books’ manager, John Evans, accepted the Drum Major Award and received a standing ovation.

The 3rd and 4th night of the JMAs was held at the luxurious Westin Hotel in downtown Jackson. 

Sunday’s Gospel Music Awards was the 47th year that the event was presented by the Jackson Music Awards. Judy and Jesse Thompson presented the award to gospel great Lillian Lilly for Best Recording by a National Single Artist for her song “At The Center of Grace” written by James C. Birdsong Jr. and Shonda English. Other winners at the Gospel Music Awards included:

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR – Lucinda Moore

GROUP OF THE YEAR – Orie Hudson Jr. and Spirit

SONG OF THE YEAR BY A SINGLE ARTIST – Lillian Lilly, “At the Center of Grace”

JACKSON GOSPEL RADIO ANNOUNCER OF THE YEAR – Kim Harper Johnson

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR – Carrol McLaughlin

NATIONAL GROUP OF THE YEAR – The Christianaires

MALE LEAD SINGER OF THE YEAR – Pastor Greg Irving

MISSISSIPPI SPOTLIGHT ARTIST OF THE YEAR – Divine Creation

MISSISSIPPI GOSPEL RADIO ANNOUNCER OF THE YEAR – Evangelist Deborah Carr (WGDQ/ Hattiesburg)

ALBUM OF THE YEAR RECORDED BY AN UPCOMING ARTIST – Orie Hudson Jr. and Spirit, “Live in Memphis”

THE LINZY “DON” DIXON MEMORIAL AWARD – Darrell Luster

A special tribute presentation was made for the late “Mama” Mosie Burks for contributions to the Mississippi Mass Choir and gospel music. Ms. Burks’ daughter accepted the award. Burks was known for putting the Mississippi Mass Choir on the national and international map, especially with her rendition of “When I Rose This Morning.” Additional honorees were James Bennett of the Jackson Southernaires for Huey Williams and the founder of the Mississippi Mass Choir (Frank Williams)…his daughter accepted the award.

The official winners of the 51st Annual Jackson Music Awards were presented on Monday, July 28th, with numerous red-carpet moments.

The winners of the 51st Annual Jackson Music Awards were:

NATIONAL PRODUCER OF THE YEAR – Kang 803

R&B GROUP OF THE YEAR – PC Band

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR (not presented live this year) – Omar Cunningham

NATIONAL FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR – J’Cenae

NATIONAL MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR – 803 Fresh

NATIONAL CD OF THE YEAR (not presented live this year) – Willie Clayton, “Double Play Soul and R&B”

SOUL ARTIST OF THE YEAR – Cecily Wilborn

NATIONAL BLUES ARTIST OF THE YEAR – Dexter Allen

MISSISSIPPI SPOTLIGHT ARTIST OF THE YEAR – Arthur Young

BEST RECORDING BY A SINGLE ARTIST – “Boots On the Ground”, 803 Fresh 

RECORD OF THE YEAR – “Boots On the Ground”, 803 Fresh

KING MOSE MEMORIAL AWARD – Yolanda Singleton

HIP HOP ANNOUNCER OF THE YEAR – Alice Marie

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR – William Brown

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR (THE JOBIE MARTIN AWARD) – Stefunie

HIP HOP ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR – Akeem Ali

R&B DISC JOCKEY OF THE YEAR – Stan Branson

JAZZ GROUP OF THE YEAR – The Kimble Funches Quartet

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR – Stefunie

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR – Mike Rob

STATEWIDE R&B ANNOUNCER OF THE YEAR – DJ Steve Smooth (WBAD 94.3, Greenville, Mississippi)

NATIONAL ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR – Bobby Rush

PROMOTER OF THE YEAR – K-9

J’Cenae Williams (National Female Artist of the Year) performed and received a standing ovation as she is known as the “Class Act” among women blues singers. Omar Cunningham (Songwriter of the Year) writes many of J’Cenae’s hits.