AWARDS
Nominations Announced For 37th GMA Music Awards
Chris Tomlin Leads with 9 Nominations; David Crowder Band, Natalie Grant, Joy Williams and Relient K Earn 6 Nods Each
CBN.com
– MUSIC CITY, USA – February 1, 2006 – Nominations were announced today for the 37th Annual GMA Music Awards (www.gmamusicawards.com) by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) with several new faces leading a field that features a strong showing by praise & worship and pop/rock artists. Nominations for the Dove Awards were announced at the Hilton Nashville Downtown in Music City by GospoCentric artist Kirk Franklin and ForeFront Records’ Rebecca St. James, both of whom earned Dove nominations today and will host the GMA Music Awards show on April 5, 2006 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. The 37th Annual GMA Music Awards will be produced by Steve Gilreath for SGTV, Inc. The awards show will then be televised in national syndication April 15 to May 21, 2006.
Artist of the Year nominee Chris Tomlin and Group of the Year nominee David Crowder Band (both sixstepsrecords) lead the field of nominees with nine nods and six nominations respectively, proving modern praise & worship music is still going strong. Coincidently, both artists were pictured on the recent cover of the January issue of CCM Magazine, featured for their music’s influence in the “Passion” collegiate worship movement. Female Vocalists of the Year nominees Natalie Grant (Curb Records) and Joy Williams (Reunion Records) helped to bring women back to the top of the Dove nominees with six a piece, while rock band Relient K (Gotee Records) also earned six nods thanks in part to its cross-over success in the last year. Several of 2005’s biggest Dove Award winners returned with five nominations, including Switchfoot, Jeremy Camp, Casting Crowns, Crabb Family and Israel Houghton. BarlowGirl and Third Day rounded out the field of artists with five nods a piece.
“Each of these artists reflects the multi-dimensional impact that gospel music has in our culture and they deserve the recognition these Dove nominations will bring. Chris Tomlin and David Crowder Band make music that not only resonates with one person listening on the radio or on their iPod, but also connects with hundreds or thousands gathered in a worship setting,” said John W. Styll, president of the GMA and executive producer of the GMA Music Awards. “It is also great to see Natalie Grant, Joy Williams and BarlowGirl bringing the female voice back to the forefront, alongside recent years’ Dove favorites like Switchfoot, Casting Crowns, Relient K and Jeremy Camp.”
Tomlin’s nine nominations include Artist and Male Vocalist of the Year. “Holy is the Lord” and “How Great is Our God,” two songs he wrote from his RIAA Gold-certified CD Arriving, were nominated in both the Song of the Year and Worship Song categories, awards that go to the songwriter(s) and publisher(s). In addition, another song off of Arriving, “Indescribable,” has earned its writer, Laura Story, nods in both Song of the Year and Worship Song categories. Tomlin’s three other nominations came from his participation on collaborations on three Special Event Album of the Year nominees Music Inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, WoW Christmas Green and Passion: How Great Is Our God.
Fellow Passion worship leader David Crowder Band earned its nominations for the rock-influenced CD A Collision, which got a nod in the Rock/Contemporary Album category and landed its lead single, “Here is Our King,” a nomination for Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song. David Crowder Band shares Tomlin’s nominations in the Special Event Album category for their participation on the same CDs. Also of note, band leader David Crowder picked up four individual nominations for production and songwriting efforts.
Joining Chris Tomlin in being nominated for Artist of the Year are Jeremy Camp, Casting Crowns, Natalie Grant and Switchfoot. Tomlin is also nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year alongside Camp, Jason Crabb (of the Crabb Family), Mark Hall (of Casting Crowns) and David Phelps. Natalie Grant and Joy Williams are joined by Bethany Dillon, Nichole Nordeman and Amy Grant in the Female Vocalist of the Year category. The three-sister girl band BarlowGirl will vie for Group of the Year honors with Casting Crowns, David Crowder Band, Kutless and MercyMe. The five nominees for New Artist of the Year are The Afters, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Mat Kearney, Krystal Meyers and Stellar Kart.
Other notable nominees for the 37th GMA Music Awards are gospel music’s prolific producer Brown Bannister, who is up for seven nominations, including Producer of the Year along with six album nominations. He’s joined in the Producer of the Year category by country music legend Vince Gill with whom Brown co-produced Amy Grant’s nominated Rock of Ages...Hymns & Faith in the Inspirational Album of the Year category. Steven Curtis Chapman, who has collected 49 Dove Awards, more than any other artist in gospel music history, has a chance to pass the 50-trophy mark this year if one of his three nominations results in a Dove Award.
“American Idol” finalists continue to make their mark on the GMA Music Award nominations; this year’s winner Carrie Underwood makes her Dove nominations debut with a nod for Country Recorded Song for her hit, “Jesus Take the Wheel,” while former finalists George Huff and Clay Aiken grab their own nominations. Underwood’s fellow country artists Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton and Alison Krauss and Union Station also have a chance to take home Dove Awards this year. And, former Backstreet Boy and now Essential Records’ artist Brian Littrell earned his first Dove nod in the Inspirational Recorded Song category with his contribution to WoW #1s: “In Christ Alone,” a song which won the Dove Award Song of the Year in 1994.
Awards will be handed out in 42 categories. The Songwriter of the Year nominees are not included in today’s announcement, but will be revealed, along with the winner, at the GMA Music Awards. Dove Awards nominations go to recordings released during the eligibility year November 1, 2004 through October 31, 2005 and voted on by the members of the GMA. In a new change to the nominations and award counting, in categories where nominations go to the artist and songwriter and/or producer, an artist will only receive one nomination even if they are both artist and songwriter or producer.
Founded in 1964, the 4,000-member Gospel Music Association (http://www.gospelmusic.org) is dedicated to exposing, promoting and celebrating the gospel through music. The GMA represents all styles of gospel music including contemporary pop, rock, urban gospel, praise & worship, Southern gospel, country and children’s gospel music. The GMA produces the GMA Music AwardsTM, which recognizes achievement in all genres of gospel music and are voted on by members of the GMA.
Courtesy of Spinhouse Public Relations
CBN IS HERE FOR YOU!
Are you seeking answers in life? Are you hurting?
Are you facing a difficult situation?
A caring friend will be there to pray with you in your time of need.
|
