The 2016 James Cleveland Award will celebrate the heyday of the choirs with a posthumous honor for Olanda Draper. 
Draper established himself as a choir in
novator and together with his group, the Associates (of which Earnest Pugh was once a member) held a firm grip on the radio and left audiences in awe with their live performances. The Memphis based aggregation left an indelible impression with such hits as “He Touched Me”, “My Soul Does Magnify the Lord,” “Gotta Feelin,” and “I’ve Got A Reason.” Among their most memorable performances are numerous pairings with label mate Pastor Shirley Caesar as well as backing the late Queen of Gospel Albertina Walker on her Grammy winning Songs of the Church Live CD.
Tags: Brat Pack, Donald Lawrence, Hezekiah Walker, James Cleveland Award, Memphis, Myrrh, Olanda Draper, Ricky Dillard, Stellar Awards, Word