The SOUL TRAIN AWARDS special will honor the longstanding careers and musical influences of legendary artists Anita Baker and Ron Isley. The special will also celebrate soul music’s legacy and the hottest stars who have helped pave the way for today’s crop of performers. The SOUL TRAIN AWARDS are guaranteed to take viewers on a soul-stirring ride marrying the sultry sounds of yesterday with the talent of today, as well as feature thrilling performances from the biggest names in music.

“We are excited to welcome the return of the SOUL TRAIN AWARDS to CENTRIC,” stated Paxton Baker, CENTRIC’s General Manager and Executive Vice President. “Last year’s show was a stellar success and we’re charged to be better this year. The Soul Train brand is part of the very fabric of American Culture, and has played a vital role in shaping the cultural framework and musical tastes of CENTRIC’s 25- to 54- year old audience. It is our goal for this show to become a staple among television viewers.”

“As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Soul Train, we are excited to have the opportunity to partner with CENTRIC again to present the iconic Soul Train Awards,” said Kenard Gibbs, CEO of Soul Train Holdings. “The team at Centric clearly respects the legacy of the brand and we are eager to return this year with an even stronger show. This year’s Soul Train Awards will embody the same energy, passion, and excitement that became the hallmark of the brand throughout its rich history.”

Academy Award nominee Howard exploded onto the Hollywood scene in 2005 after delivering powerful performances in a number of film and TV productions. Howard has garnered multiple nominations including Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations, as well as awards for Breakthrough Actor by the National Board of Review, Movieline and the Gotham Awards. Crowned as the “Indie Film King” by Entertainment Weekly, he has also received the Rising Star Award from the Palm Springs International Film Festival, the Renaissance Artist Award from the Diversity Awards and the Career Achievement Award from the Chicago International Film Festival. He is currently starring in LAW AND ORDER: LA.

Taraji Henson earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress opposite Brad Pitt in David Fincher’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. She starred in the hugely successful Karate Kid opposite Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan and in Date Night with Tina Fey and Steve Carrell. For her role in Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself, she received the 2009 Diversity Award for Best Actress. She also stars in the upcoming Peep World playing Rainn Wilson’s love interest; The Good Doctor with Orlando Bloom; Once Fallen costarring Ed Harris; and Larry Crowne for director and star Tom Hanks. Taraji is currently in production in New Orleans on the bio-pic From the Rough about the first female Head Coach of an NCAA Division I men’s golf team.

The SOUL TRAIN AWARDS is produced by Sunseeker Media and directed by Jonathan X, in collaboration with BET Event Productions. Paxton Baker, CENTRIC Executive Vice President and General Manager, Tami Willis-Arasli, CENTRIC Vice President of Special and Music Programming; Bart Phillips, Sunseeker Media; and Soul Train Holdings’ Kenard Gibbs, and Anthony Maddox will all be the executive producers of the network telecast.

Check out the pre-show below:

Source: Press Release & Video