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39th Annual GMA Dove Awards reveals a few surprises

There were a few surprises at this year’s GMA Dove Awards, including Skillet’s first career Dove win for “Rock Recorded Song of the Year” for “Comatose” written by John Cooper and Brian Howes from their 2006 release of the same title. After 16 nominations, members of the band were elated about the win, reports Ginny McCabe, special to ASSIST News Service.

In addition to Skillets first career win, Disciple also won their first Dove Award for “Rock Album of the Year” category for their sophomore project “Scars Remain.” “This was our eighth nomination and our first win,” said lead singer, Kevin Young. “…We are so thankful to God for using our music, and to the Gospel Music Association for recognizing us.”

TobyMac was named Artist of the Year. In being recognized with the Artist of the Year honor, he reclaimed the title he earned 12 years ago in 1996 as a member of dcTalk. He was recognized for a year of significant contributions to the industry, inwhich his latest CD, Portable Sounds debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart; his hit singles “I’m For You” and “Made To Love” earned him R&R’s Christian CHR Artist of the Year; and his video for his rock hit “Boomin” was named the Gospel Music Channel’s Video of the Year. Tonight, Portable Sounds was named Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year and “Boomin” got the Dove Award for Short Form Video of the Year.

Three Dove Awards were awarded to Casting Crowns and lead singer Mark Hall received four Dove Awards, which recognized a record-breaking year for the Atlanta-based band. In addition to their fourth consecutive Group of the Year Award, the band’s Doves also included Best Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year for The Altar and the Door, which made an unprecedented debut at No. 2 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart when it released in 2007. “East to West,” earned Hall and Bernie Herms Song of the Year honors, and was also recognized as Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year for the group and personally for Hall as the co-writer. Hall’s participation on the multi-artist worship project Glory Revealed brought him individual Dove Awards for Special Event Album of the Year for the CD and Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year for the single “By His Wounds,” with fellow artists Steven Curtis Chapman, Brian Littrell and Mac Powell.

In the other top overall categories, Chris Tomlin and Natalie Grant earned another win for the third straight year as Male Vocalist and Female Vocalist of the Year, respectively. Brandon Heath was awarded New Artist of the Year, while Cindy Morgan, who was named New Artist of the Year 15 years ago, returned to the stage as 2008’s Songwriter of the Year.

Tomlin, Morgan, David Crowder Band, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Israel & New Breed, Michael W. Smith, Trin-i-tee 5:7, Steven Curtis Chapman, Brian Littrell, Mac Powell and Bernie Herms received two Doves each.

The Dove Awards in the overall categories went to:

Artist of the Year: TobyMac

Female Vocalist of the Year: Natalie Grant

Male Vocalist of the Year: Chris Tomlin

Group of the Year: Casting Crowns

New Artist of the Year: Brandon Heath

Songwriter of the Year: Cindy Morgan

Song of the Year: “East to West,” written by Mark Hall and Bernie Herms

Producer of the Year: Ian Eskelin

For a complete winners list, visit www.Gospelmusic.org.

The live Dove Awards telecast, which was also broadcast on XM Satellite radio, featured 12 extraordinary performances, including Casting Crowns, The Clark Sisters, David Crowder Band, Marvin Sapp, and Point Of Grace. Performing for the first time on the Dove Awards, Switchfoot offered “This Is Home,” a song that will be on the soundtrack for the Walt Disney Pictures/Walden Media film “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.”

There were other multi-artist appearances, including the show opener with the New Artist of the Year nominees. Female vocalist Natalie Grant shared her spotlight with Wynonna Judd in a duet of “Bring It All Together.” American Idol® previous finalists Phil Stacey and Chris Sligh made their Dove Awards debut alongside Mandisa and Amy Grant in a musical salute to Michael W. Smith, which honored him for 25 years of artistry, as they sang some of Smith’s songs, including as “Thy Word,” “Place in This World,” “Secret Ambition” and “Agnus Dei.”

Another highlight was the world premiere of the first song written and recorded for Compassionart, a newly formed charity founded by Delirious? frontman/songwriter Martin Smith that is dedicated to seeing works of art generate income for the poorest of the poor. Tomlin, Chapman, Houghton, Smith, Paul Baloche and Christy Nockels, all who have written songs for Compassionart, performed “So Great” from the upcoming charity-focused CD that will release this fall.

The Dove Awards show closed with a finale that started with Ricky Skaggs and The Whites with “Solid Rock” and Southern gospel favorites Jeff and Sheri Easter, The Hoppers and Karen Peck and New River singing “I Wouldn’t Take Nothin” and it concluded with Charlie Daniels leading a “choir” of artists including Third Day’s Mac Powell, The Isaacs, Angella Christie singing “I’ll Fly Away.”

The GMA Dove Awards, held in Nashville at the Grand Ole Opry House, on Wednesday, April 23rd were televised live on the Gospel Music Channel.

Dove statuettes were awarded to more than 35 different artists and a dozen performances including more than 30 artists.

[05/27/2008]

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