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Kim Burrell Will No Longer Be Honored During BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Honors Event

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Johnny Nunez/WireImageIn light of anti-LGBTQ comments made by the gospel singer earlier this month, Kim Burrell will no longer be honored during the forthcoming BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Honors event, a BMI representative confirmed to ABC Radio. 

In a statement by the non-profit music rights organization, BMI writes, “Given the controversy surrounding this year’s co-honoree Kim Burrell, we have asked her to not take part in the ceremony in order to allow the focus to remain on the songwriters and their music. BMI was founded over 76 years ago with an open door policy to welcome songwriters across all genres, and that same spirit of tolerance, diversity and inclusiveness continues today.”  

Burrell’s radio show, Bridging the Gap, and an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show also were cancelled due to the performer’s statements during a church sermon, in which she said that homosexuals were “perverted” and suggested that they would all die in 2017.

A video of the sermon soon went viral, prompting a slew of criticism from viewers and celebrities such as Pharrell Williams and Janelle Monáe

BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Honors will take place in Atlanta’s Rialto Center for the Arts on January 14, with Yolanda Adams scheduled to co-host alongside singer-songwriter VaShawn Mitchell.  

Marvin Sapp will be honored for his contributions to gospel music during the ceremony.  

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