Legendary Entertainer Patti LaBelle Announced As Headliner Of The 15th Annual Super Bowl Gospel Celebration

NEW YORK, Dec. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Bringing faith, football and gospel music together, the 15^th Annual NFL Sanctioned Super Bowl Gospel Celebration will be in New York City, kicking-off Super Bowl XLVIII weekend on Friday, January 31, 2014 at Theater at Madison Square Garden. Sponsored by American Family Insurance, this year's concert will align GRAMMY® Award-winning artists, church and faith leaders and special guests – all on one stage to give audiences a show to remember.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131219/CL35597)

Announced as the headliner of this milestone concert, taking the stage will be legendary entertainer and GRAMMY® Award-winner Patti LaBelle.  Also joining the list of top performers at this year's show include GRAMMY® Award-winning gospel sensation Mary Mary, Christian contemporary singer Natalie Grant and actress & singer Tamela Mann. Previously announced performers include GRAMMY® Award-winning Gospel artist and Pastor of Perfecting Faith Church in New York, Donnie McClurkin, and the NFL Player's Choir, which is exclusively composed of current and former players.

Over the course of fifteen years, Super Bowl Gospel Celebration has brought together amazing performances and special guests including Anita Baker, Gladys Knight, Yolanda Adams, Kelly Price, The Clark Sisters, and many more. Most recently, the 2013 event was hosted by Emmy Award-winning co-host of ABC's "The View," Sherri Shepherd, and seven-time GRAMMY® Award-winning gospel artist Kirk Franklin. Headlined by GRAMMY® Award-winning, platinum-selling artist and American Idol winner Fantasia, the night was full of memorable moments including great performances by Donnie McClurkin, Marvin Winans, Bishop Paul S. Morton, and the NFL "Players' Choice" hip-hop Christian artist Lecrae.

"The Super Bowl Gospel Celebration has been a formal sanctioned partner for 15 years, and has played an integral role in bringing together fans and football players under one roof with a shared love of inspirational music," said Tisha Ford, NFL Director of Events Business Development.

"This year we celebrate the 15th Anniversary of bringing even more power and celebration to one of the biggest events of the year — the Super Bowl," says Melanie Few-Harrison, Creator and Executive Producer of Super Bowl Gospel Celebration. "Each year we aim to make the concert bigger than the last with artists and special guests from all backgrounds and this year will be no different! Super Bowl XLVIII in New York will be our biggest yet!"

Since its inception in 1999, the Super Bowl Gospel Celebration has donated a portion of its proceeds and more than 5,500 tickets to local and national charities. This year's benefactor is St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Tickets to the concert are currently available for purchase on www.ticketmaster.com. The show will air in national syndication over broadcast television stations in February 2014. Air dates and local listings to be announced in January.

Media credential applications to the Super Bowl Gospel Celebration press conference (date to be announced) and red carpet are currently being accepted. Deadline for submissions is January 21, 2014 by 11:59 PM ET. For more information, visit: http://www.superbowlgospel.com/gospel/press-2/

About The Super Bowl Gospel Celebration:
The Super Bowl Gospel Celebration was launched in Miami in 1999 during Super Bowl XXXIII weekend.  In 2002, the event became the first, and remains the only concert sanctioned by the National Football League (NFL). The show has drawn crowds in the thousands and has demonstrated growth year-after-year, selling out venues in major Super Bowl host cities including Dallas, Tampa, Detroit, Jacksonville, Houston and Phoenix. For more information, visit: www.SuperBowlGospel.com, Facebook.com/SuperBowlGospel and Twitter.com/SuperBowlGospel.

About American Family Insurance:
Based in Madison, Wisconsin, American Family Insurance offers auto, homeowners, life, business and farm/ranch insurance in 19 states and is the nation's third-largest mutual property/casualty insurance company and ranks 382nd on the Fortune 500 list. For more information visit: www.amfam.com, Facebook.com/amfam, Twitter.com/amfam, and www.youtube.com/amfam.

About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital:
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other deadly diseases. St. Jude has the world's best survival rates for the most aggressive childhood cancers, and treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since we opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent in the next decade. St. Jude freely shares the breakthroughs we make, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing and food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting www.stjude.org or following St. Jude on Facebook.com/stjude and Twitter.com/stjude.

Press Contacts:
Danny Astoria | Simone Smalls PR, Inc.        
[email protected] | 917.388.3890

Simone Smalls | Simone Smalls PR, Inc.
[email protected] | 917.388.3890

SOURCE Super Bowl Gospel Celebration