BMI Christian Awards To Honor GMA’s Jackie Patillo With Spotlight Award

During the upcoming 2025 BMI Christian Awards set for June 17 at the organization’s Nashville headquarters, Gospel Music Association President Jackie Patillo will be honored with BMI’s Spotlight Award.

The Spotlight Award salutes Patillo’s rich history of championing Gospel music creators and unwavering dedication to the genre’s legacy throughout her three-decade career. As a veteran music executive with posts at Star Song, Benson, Integrity and Verity Records, she has helped shape the careers of numerous iconic artists, including Natalie Grant, Stephen Hurd, Lisa McClendon, Donnie McClurkin, Joe Pace, Israel & New Breed, Marvin Sapp, Alvin Slaughter and many more.

As the President of the Gospel Music Association and GMA Foundation, which she has headed since 2010, Patillo has taken her commitment to advocating for all Christian and Gospel music makers to a new level. Under her leadership, the GMA has expanded its reach, unified the genre’s diverse voices, and strengthened its mission to expose, promote, and celebrate Gospel music across all styles and generations. In addition to her day-to-day work, Patillo also serves as the Co-Executive Producer of the GMA Dove Awards, viewed by over 3 million people annually on TBN. She was inducted into the Stellar Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2019, the SOURCE Hall of Fame in 2023, and was honored on her 10th anniversary with the Jackie Patillo Leadership Dove Award, now presented annually to an outstanding industry leader.

“Through Jackie’s dynamic leadership, innovative vision, and unwavering love for Christian and Gospel music, she’s been able to bring both genres together through a message that unifies all while reaching a new generation of music lovers,” says BMI’s AVP of Creative, Nashville Leslie Roberts. “The work that she’s done over her illustrious career is inspiring, and we’re thrilled to be presenting Jackie with the BMI Spotlight Award. We’re also looking forward to celebrating all our award-winning songwriters and producers, highlighting their achievements through community, worship and music.”

In receiving the BMI Spotlight Award, Patillo joins an exclusive group of honorees including Dottie Leonard Miller, Randy Edelman and Frank Gari.

BMI’s Christian Songwriter of the Year, Song of the Year, Publisher of the Year and the 25 most-performed Christian songs of the previous year will also be announced during the private event, which will be hosted by BMI’s AVP of Creative, Nashville Leslie Roberts and BMI’s President & CEO Mike O’Neill.