Earnest Pugh to be Honored at BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards
Earnest Pugh to be Honored at the 2026 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards
- Earnest Pugh will be honored with the prestigious BMI Trailblazer Award at the 2026 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards on Tuesday, July 21
- In addition to his music, Pugh is celebrating the release of his new book, A Song for Every Season: Guidance, Inspiration, and Hope for Life's Challenges
- Fans can find additional tour dates, book signings, and more at EarnestPugh.com.
Gospel’s Leading Man Earnest Pugh to be Honored at
the 2026 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards
Earnest Pugh to Receive BMI Trailblazer Award Following Fifth Billboard No. 1 Hit
Award-winning gospel artist and songwriter Earnest Pugh will be honored with the prestigious BMI Trailblazer Award at the 2026 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards on Tuesday, July 21, at BMI’s Nashville headquarters. The honor recognizes Pugh’s outstanding contributions as an inspirational and transformative songwriter and follows the success of his fifth Billboard No. 1 gospel single, “Don’t Give Up.”
“I initially wrote the song for placement on the soundtrack for the forthcoming movie Love Mountain,” Pugh said. “But after seeing the incredible response during my live performances, Kerry Douglas and I decided to take it to radio—and the rest is history.”
While his previously announced 20th anniversary concert celebrating his landmark 2006 album A Worshipper’s Perspective has been rescheduled for this fall, fans can still experience Pugh live at “Live and Unplugged,” an intimate evening of worship hosted by Blacksmoke Music Worldwide CEO and Grammy-nominated producer Kerry Douglas. The event takes place Friday, July 3, at The Rain Room in Houston and will also feature performances by Percy Bady and Timothy Wright.
“Earnest and I have worked together for over two decades, and I love capturing him in his element,” Douglas said. “He is a live singer who energizes rooms with an unapologetic anointing and an incredible vocal skill set.”
In addition to his music, Pugh is celebrating the release of his new book, A Song for Every Season: Guidance, Inspiration, and Hope for Life’s Challenges. The book reflects on his 20-year career through personal stories, the inspiration behind many of his signature songs, and biblical encouragement for navigating life’s seasons.
Fans can find additional tour dates, book signings, and more at EarnestPugh.com.
Here’s the video to “Don’t Give Up”
