GMA Announces Dove Award Nominees
Since the Gospel Music Association (GMA) announced its nominees, the press releases just keep on coming. To see a full list of nominees, head on over to the official site of the 2008 GMA Dove Awards.
Here’s what’s been coming down the pike:
The critically acclaimed, multi-artist project Glory Revealed: The Word of God in Worship received prestigious recognition as the nominees were announced for the 39th Annual GMA Dove Awards. The Scripture-based Glory Revealed project was recognized in the Special Event Album category, and spawned the Inspirational Recorded Song nominee, “By His Wounds.” Glory Revealed: The Word of God in Worship, is a result of the collaboration between Third Day’s Mac Powell and evangelist David Nasser. Wanting to provide listeners with truths taken directly from Scripture, Nasser teamed with Powell and other artists to build one of 2007’s most unique albums. Contributors to the project include Michael W. Smith, Brian Littrell, Steven Curtis Chapman, Trevor Morgan, Hyper Static Union’s Shawn Lewis, David Crowder, Shane & Shane, Candi Pearson-Shelton, Josh Bates, Starfield’s Tim Neufeld and Casting Crowns’ Mark Hall. Third Day’s Mac Powell, Casting Crowns’ lead singer/songwriter Mark Hall and Brian Littrell were each recognized with two nods for their individual performance, production and/or songwriting work on the Glory Revealed recording. “By His Wounds” co-writer, David Nasser, also received a nod as songwriter on “By His Wounds.”
Read YMX’s review of Glory Revealed here.
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Hailing from the West Coast, Tooth&Nail Records, BEC Recordings & Solid State Records were represented among the nominees announced. Among those nominated, included multiple nominations for Jeremy Camp (two Song of the Year nods); KJ-52 (two nods from his hit release “Yearbook”), and a nomination for rockers MxPx marking their return to T&N since their debut in 1994.
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Progressive rock band Leeland has received prestigious recognition, as nominations were announced for the 39th Annual GMA Dove Awards. “Tears of the Saints” received a huge nomination, in the Song of the Year category, with nominations going to songwriters, Leeland Mooring and Jack Mooring. Leeland was recognized in the category of Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song, for “Tears of the Saints,” from the band’s debut project, Sound of Melodies (nods also going to songwriters, Leeland Mooring and Jack Mooring). Leeland Mooring also received a nod, as songwriter of the Michael W. Smith-recorded, “Be Lifted High,” which is up in the Inspirational Recorded Song category. In total, the band received one nomination, Leeland Mooring received three nominations as a songwriter, while brother Jack received two as a songwriter. After learning of the nominations, Leeland Mooring commented, “We are so honored to be nominated this year. There are so many talented artists out there, and we are thrilled to be nominated. We appreciate all of the people that voted for us. This continues to be an amazing journey, and we are excited to see what God is doing.”
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Modern rock band Red was recognized by the Gospel Music Association with a GMA Dove Award nomination, gospel/Christian music’s highest honor, during a press conference yesterday in Nashville. Red is nominated in the Rock Recorded Song category for its No. 1 hit song “Break Me Down” from its album End of Silence. Red guitarists Jasen Rauch and Anthony Armstrong each received a nod, as songwriters, on “Break Me Down.” This is the second consecutive year Red is nominated in this category. Last year, Red took home its first-ever Dove Award for its No. 1 radio single, “Breathe Into Me”, in the category Rock Recorded Song at the 38th Annual GMA (Gospel Music Association) Dove Awards. Including Red’s award-winning nomination for Rock Recorded Song, it received three overall Dove Award nominations last year in the categories Rock Album (End of Silence) and Short Form Music Video (Breath Into Me). Honored by the band’s nomination, Red lead vocalist, Michael Barnes commented, “Recognition like this means so much to us as a band. We want to thank everyone out there that continues to support Red. God has blessed us in so many ways, and we are both excited and humbled to be a part of telling others about Him through our music.”
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Nineteen year-old Krystal Meyers was recognized by the Gospel Music Association with a GMA Dove Award nomination for Female Vocalist of the Year . Receiving a nomination is gospel/Christian music’s highest honor. Meyers was also nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year in 2007, and in 2006 received two Dove Award nominations in the categories of New Artist of the Year and a second nomination for her contribution to the Come Let Us Adore Him project, in the Special Event Album category. After learning of her Female Vocalist of the Year nomination, Meyers commented, “I’m so excited! It is such an honor to be recognized by the industry in this way, and I can’t wait for the Dove Awards.”
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Multi-platinum artist Casting Crowns once again cements its place as the premiere force in Christian music. The Atlanta-based pop/worship band is recognized with four nominations, including the prestigious Artist of the Year award. Casting Crowns is also nominated for Group of the Year, an honor it has won for the last three years. Lead singer/songwriter Mark Hall leads all artists in the extremely diverse Dove field with an additional six individual nominations, including a nod for Male Vocalist of the Year and as writer of Song of the Year nominee, “East To West,” from Casting Crown’s RIAA Gold-selling The Altar and the Door album.
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Acclaimed singer/songwriter Brandon Heath received prominent recognition from the Gospel Music Association (GMA). Heath was recognized in the coveted New Artist of the Year category due to the success of his debut project, Don’t Get Comfortable, which contained the Song of the Year nominee, “I’m Not Who I Was,” a smash-hit that was also nominated in the Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song category. “The stories of reconciliation that I’ve heard in response to the song, ‘I’m Not Who I Was’ have been reward enough for me. I’m thankful and honored to be nominated with such a talented group of friends and artists, especially as a new guy,” Heath commented.
Read YMX’s interview with Brandon Heath–“Brandon Heath: Missional Musician”.
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Michael W. Smith was recognized by the Gospel Music Association with three GMA Dove Award Nominations, gospel/Christian music’s highest honor. Smith has garnered 40 GMA Dove Awards to date. Smith’s nominations include: It’s A Wonderful Christmas in the Christmas Album category; “Be Lifted High,” a song co-written with Leeland Mooring on the GRAMMY nominated Stand album, in the Inspirational Recorded Song category; and Special Event Album for his contribution to nominated project, Glory Revealed.
Upon receiving his nominations, Smith shared, “I’m really overwhelmed. These projects were very special to me, so I really appreciate this recognition. I’ve been recording for 25 years so it’s especially gratifying to be honored like this.”
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Amongst newcomers leading the field alongside established artists, producers and songwriters, Midas Records band Rush Of Fools garnered an astounding four nominations in four major categories, including Song Of The Year: “Undo,” New Artist Of The Year, Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song Of The Year: “Undo” and Pop/Contemporary Album Of The Year: Rush Of Fools.
Read YMX’s interview with Rush of Fools–“Rush of Fools’ Confounded Plans”.
