Congratulations to Grammy-Winning R&B/Gospel Duo Mary Mary on American Music Award Nomination

Congratulations to Grammy-Winning R&B/Gospel Duo Mary Mary on American Music Award Nomination

Mary Mary Up for Favorite Artist in the Contemporary Inspirational Category

NEW YORK, Oct. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Congratulations to the Grammy-winning R&B/gospel duo Mary Mary as sisters Erica and Tina Campbell add another award nomination to a growing collection of critical and popular kudos.

Mary Mary has earned a Favorite Artist nomination in the Contemporary Inspirational music category of the 33rd Annual American Music Awards. AMA nominations were announced September 20 at the Beverly Hills Hotel by singer/writer/producer Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds and dancehall reggae singer Rihanna. The 33rd Annual American Music Awards ceremony will be telecast on Tuesday, November 22 (8:00-11:00 p.m., ET), from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, hosted by Cedric "The Entertainer."

The Grammy-winning R&B/gospel duo Mary Mary recently crossed over into Top 10 pop territory when the group's self-titled new album debuted at #8 on the Billboard Top 200 best-selling album chart, the highest Top 200 chart position in the group's career. (Mary Mary's previous albums -- 2000's Thankful and 2002's Incredible -- peaked at #59 and #20, respectively.) When the album subsequently debuted at #1 on the Billboard Gospel album sales chart, the album became the best-selling Gospel debut of 2005.

"Heaven," the first single from Mary Mary, has been making history as it breaks chart records, most notably an unprecedented 9 week run as the #1 record on Billboard's Gospel Radio chart, the first and only single to run 8 consecutive weeks or longer at #1. "Heaven" was also a #1 R&R Gospel Radio Single and hit the #3 slot on the Billboard Bubbling Under -- Hot R&B Singles chart.

Erica and Tina Campbell are Mary Mary, two real-life sisters who have brought revolutionary R&B, urban and hip-hop elements to the world of contemporary gospel music.

Mary Mary, the duo's new album, features guest artist Kirk Franklin. The album's first single is "Heaven," produced by Warryn Campbell. (Erica's husband, Warryn Campbell helmed the first two Mary Mary albums, the RIAA gold- and platinum-certified Thankful and the RIAA gold-certified Incredible).

Growing up in Inglewood, California, Erica and Tina first sang publicly in the local church choir and received their first break in 1998 with a song on the "Prince of Egypt" soundtrack.

In 2000, Mary Mary's platinum debut album, Thankful -- featuring the hit "Shackles (Praise You)" -- earned numerous awards including a Grammy for Best Contemporary Gospel Album and three Dove Awards, six Stellar Awards, a Lady of Soul Award, a Soul Train Award. Incredible, their second album, became the nation's #1 Top Christian Album in 2002 and featured the Dove Award-winning hits "In The Morning" and "Thank You," featuring Kirk Franklin.

Source: My Block Records/Sony Urban Music/Columbia Records

CONTACT: Tony Ferguson of Sony Urban Music, New York, +1-212-833-4595, or Tony.Ferguson@sonybmg.com

Web site: http://www.mary-mary.com/ http://www.columbiarecords.com/

------- Profile: Ent