From Hollywood to Home: Black Voices in Entertainment
- Accompanied by a choir, Erica Campbell delivered a heartfelt rendition of I Love The Lord.
- The song was written by Richard Smallwood in 1970 and popularized by Whitney Houston in 1996.
- Erica Campbell noted the performance honored Clive Davis, who recently passed away at 94.
- Le’Andria Johnson joined to perform Total Praise, prompting a standing ovation at the final "amen."
- Richard Smallwood said he aimed to write enduring standards; he died in December 2025 at age 77.
To kick off the evening’s tributes, Erica Campbell and Le’Andria Johnson came through to honor all of the lives lost over the past year, particularly the life and legacy of gospel legend Richard Smallwood.
Accompanied by a choir, Campbell put her heart and soul into her rendition of “I Love The Lord,” which Smallwood wrote and composed in 1970 before it was popularized by Whitney Houston in 1996 for The Preacher’s Wife soundtrack. Campbell also noted that the song she performed was a tribute to Clive Davis, who loved it and recently passed away at 94.
Le’Andria Johnson performs onstage during the 2026 BET Awards at Peacock Theater on June 28, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
In addition to the classic hymn-turned-song, Johnson joined Campbell to perform Smallwood’s biggest hit, “Total Praise.” By the time the Sunday Best winner and her rich voice hit that final “amen,” the audience was on its feet.
Of his own legacy, Smallwood once explained to The Plain Dealer: “Songs come out and fill the charts, but in four or five years, people have forgotten about them. I want to write songs that will stand the test of time. I want to write standards that inspire.” Smallwood passed away in December 2025 at the age of 77.
Watch the full tribute above, which also honors Malcolm-Jamal Warner and more figures we lost in the last year.
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