Sunday Best (American TV series) explained

Genre:Reality competition
Presenter:Kirk Franklin
Judges:
Country:United States
Language:English
Num Seasons:10
Num Episodes:101
Runtime:60 minutes
Network:BET

Sunday Best is a reality television singing competition series hosted by Kirk Franklin. It first aired on BET on October 2, 2007.

In each season, the show and its judges set out to find the best undiscovered gospel talent in America. Finalists competed each week until a winner was crowned. The judges throughout the series' run included Gospel singers Yolanda Adams, Kierra Sheard, Donnie McClurkin, Mary Mary, Bebe Winans & Cece Winans.[1] Gospel singer Kim Burrell served as the on-screen mentor.[2]

Each season's winner receives a national recording contract, a new automobile, and an undisclosed cash prize benefiting his or her community as well as the title of 'Sunday Best'.

On April 18, 2019, it was announced that the series would return for a ninth season, which premiered on June 30, 2019.[3] Franklin returned as host and former Mary Mary member Erica Campbell also returning as a judge, with Kelly Price and Jonathan McReynolds joining as judges. Sunday Best was renewed by BET for a tenth season which premiered on July 5, 2020.

Winners

SeasonWinnerDebut albumRelease date
Season 1Crystal AikinCrystal AikinMarch 17, 2009
Season 2Y'Anna CrawleyThe PromiseAugust 24, 2010
Season 3Le'Andria JohnsonAwakening of Le'Andria JohnsonSeptember 6, 2011
Season 4Amber BullockSo In LoveJuly 10, 2012
Season 5Joshua Rogers[4] Well DoneDecember 4, 2012
Season 6Tasha Page-Lockhart[5] Here Right NowAugust 5, 2014
Season 7Geoffrey Golden[6] Kingdom...Live!August 17, 2015
Season 8Dathan Thigpen[7] GetUp Vol. 1 Get Exposed To Unadulterated PraiseJanuary 1, 2016
Season 9Melvin Crispell III[8] Prologue IIISeptember 20, 2019
Season 10Stephanie Summers[9] Mighty Strong GodOctober 22, 2021

External links

Notes and References

  1. Gospel Greats Donnie McClurkin and Yolanda Adams Join the All-Star Team of Judges... - PASADENA, Calif., Jan. 14 /PRNewswire/ . California, Nigeria . Prnewswire.com . 2011-09-12.
  2. Web site: . April 29, 2010 . SR Gospel: Kim Burrell Joins Sunday Best 3 . Singersroom.com . 2024-07-30.
  3. Web site: BET Networks Announces the Return of All Inspiring Gospel Competition Series, "Sunday Best," for Its Ninth Season. The Futon Critic. April 18, 2019.
  4. Web site: Behind the Stage - Joshua Rogers is Sunday Best. https://web.archive.org/web/20120905110804/http://www.bet.com/video/sundaybest/season-5/exclusive/sunday-best-behind-the-stage-season-5-winner.html. dead. September 5, 2012. 2 September 2012. BET.com.
  5. Web site: Tasha Page-Lockhart Is Sunday Best!. https://web.archive.org/web/20130904230046/http://www.bet.com/video/sundaybest/season-6/exclusives/tasha-page-lockhart-is-sunday-best.html. dead. September 4, 2013. 1 September 2013. BET.com.
  6. Web site: Geoffrey Golden Is Sunday Best!. https://web.archive.org/web/20140903112105/http://www.bet.com/video/sundaybest/season-7/exclusives/geoffrey-golden-is-sunday-best.html. dead. September 3, 2014. 31 August 2014. BET.com.
  7. Web site: Jackson native wins BET's Sunday Best competition. 31 August 2015. www.clarionledger.com.
  8. Web site: Melvin Crispell, III Declared Winner of Sunday Best. 28 August 2019. blackchristiannews.com.
  9. Web site: Stephanie Summers Crowned Winner of BET's Sunday Best Season 10. 26 August 2020. gospelmusic.org.