Category Archives: Awards Programs/Winners Listings

In spite of the Singing News being unable to host a live stream of the program, they have given the opportunity to watch an on-demand video tomorrow.

Refresh the page as the program continues. Here is a list of winners:

Favorite Musician: Jeff Stice (Triumphant Quartet)

Favorite Horizon Individual: Courtney Collingsworth Metz (Collingsworth Family)

Favorite Tenor: Michael Booth (Booth Brothers)

Favorite Horizon Group: Ball Brothers

Favorite Baritone: Jim Brady (Booth Brothers)

Favorite Young Artist: Courtney Collingsworth Metz (Collingsworth Family)

Favorite Soprano: Kim Hopper (Hoppers)

Favorite Male Vocalist: Ronnie Booth (Booth Brothers)

Favorite Bass: Eric Bennett (Triumphant Quartet)

Favorite Lead: Ronnie Booth (Booth Brothers)

Favorite Alto: Libbi Perry Stuffle (Perrys)

Favorite Mixed Group: Hoppers

Favorite Female Vocalist: Kim Hopper (Hoppers)

Favorite Traditional Quartet: Triumphant Quartet

Favorite Soloist: Ivan Parker

Favorite Trio: Booth Brothers

Favorite Band: Gaither Vocal Band Band

Favorite Songwriter: Rodney Griffin

Favorite Album: Love Came Calling, Triumphant Quartet

Favorite Song: “Love Came Calling, Triumphant Quartet

Favorite Artist: Booth Brothers

Norcross Templeton Award: Peg McKamey Bean

James D. Vaughan Impact Award: Statler Brothers

Tonight, many Christian music artists are converging upon the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA, for the 42nd Annual GMA Dove Awards. As far as I’ve seen, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Jeff & Sheri Easter, Triumphant Quartet, Brian Free & Assurance, Sisters, and Janet Paschal are attending the awards ceremonies. The Dove Awards pre-show will be honoring the genre-specific Song of the Year awards. I will try to offer an update on the wins as I often as possible for the Southern Gospel categories.

Ernie Haase & Signature Sound and Janet Paschal will separately be performing. Janet Paschal will join the other nominees for Female Vocalist of the Year in a tribute to Sandi Patty. Also, Brian Free & Assurance performed “Never Walk Alone” at the pre-show. 

Refresh to see the winners in the various Southern/Bluegrass/Country Gospel winners!

WINNERS:

Bluegrass Recorded Album of the Year: Singing from the Heart -Dailey & Vincent

Bluegrass Recorded Song of the Year: “Mountaintop” -Little Roy & Lizzy Long

Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year: “Joseph” -Jason Crabb

Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year: “Better Day” -Gaither Vocal Band

Southern Gospel Recorded Album of the Year: Greatly Blessed -Gaither Vocal Band

Songwriter of the Year: Gerald Crabb

Song of the Year (entire Christian field): “Sometimes I Cry” -Jason Crabb (written by Gerald Crabb)

There are other categories where Southern Gospel artists were nominated including Male Vocalist of the Year, Group of the Year, Artist of the Year, Country Song, etc., and I have covered them as well as possible when the winners were announced. A special thank you to yankeegospelgirl for her help! For a full list of Southern Gospel artists’ nominees, here is the original post.

As I posted yesterday evening, Absolutely Gospel presented their annual awards honoring the best in Southern Gospel music in not only the artists, but also the industry members (producer, engineer, etc.). Deon, Chris, and Amy Marie Unthank have hosted these awards for 10 years. Instead of solely fan nominated & voted, the Absolutely Gospel Awards nominees are chosen by their staff and subsequently released for fans to vote.

Highlights of the awards winners & show:

1. Karen Peck & New River: The group was the “big winners” last year and held the title for the 2011 awards. While they kept the same award numbers, in comparison to last year, the trio received a different slate of awards. Last year, the group won Country Song & Song of the Year for “I Want to Thank You.” This year, the group took home Progressive Song of the Year for “Why Can’t All God’s Children Get Along?”. In 2010, they also received Progressive Album of the Year for No Worries. I suppose we’ll see the group capture stronger nominations next year considering their upcoming album release of Reach Out. One major factor of their award winning is that they captured Fan Favorite Artist for the second consecutive year.
2. Jeff & Sheri Easter: It’s interesting to note that one of the Country Song of the Year winners captured the award for Song of the Year, just as it happened last year. As evidenced through various awards, Jeff & Sheri Easter are making a strong stride now in Southern Gospel. “Born to Climb” has won awards in the Dove Awards and now in the Absolutely Gospel Ovation Awards. This has to be a career song. In addition to the group awards, Madison Easter, the group’s lead guitarist, won his second consecutive Musician of the Year award. Judging by the audience’s reaction, his  and Devin McGlamery’s hosting abilities were superb. 
3. Joseph Habedank: This young leader in Southern Gospel has developed his talent well, showing strongly in his first award win for being a songwriter. Other nominees included long-time writers like Becky Bowman & Sonya Yeary and Jim Brady, who’ve both experienced award-winning  and #1 songs. This award helps further cement Joseph Habedank’s name among the best current and past writers in Southern Gospel music.
4. Beyond the Ashes: Anthony Facello’s talented male trio has caught the fans’ attention. Last year, they performed their hit single, “Ready for the Ride”, and people were left predicting they could be the 2011 Breakthrough Artist. That prediction came true for Facello, Monroe, and Rivers. With their recent record contract with Vine Records and their new project releasing, Treasures Unseen, releasing next week, they have truly broken through to the higher realms of Southern Gospel music.
5. Bowling Family & Hope Bowling: The group captured a win for Country Album of the Year, Shine. However, Kelly Bowling is experiencing a case of laryngitis and stayed home for the evening. Filling in for her was Mike & Kelly’s 11 year-old daughter, Hope Bowling. From statements of various people attending the awards ceremony, she performed excellently and did so with last minute’s notice. Here’s to hoping she’ll be featured a bit more on stage.
6. Susan Unthank Memorial Award: To honor the matriarch of the Unthank family, Absolutely Gospel developed an award honoring an individual’s contribution to the Southern Gospel industry. While similar to the SN Norcross-Templeton Award, this award honors only females and their consistent involvement in Southern Gospel music. Taking home the award was Beckie Simmons Bates who has worked for many years with artists and concert promoters as a booking agent. Congratulations, Beckie, for receiving recognition for your years of service!

Absolutely Gospel presents an award program specifically different from all others in Southern Gospel. From the award nominations procedures to the actual awards ceremony, they work diligently and separate theirs from the others. Offering live streaming last year was a major advancement, and, while the live stream “fell through at the last minute”, they offered a different notification style for fans unable to attend. Madison Easter & the Unthanks posted each award winner’s name on Twitter & Facebook as the awards were presented.

In addition to these artists, several other artists and family members offered insightful comments about the awards happenings. This was different, especially seeing pictures of people tweeting from the awards ceremony, but it is innovation. Adding these features continues to separate the Absolutely Gospel Awards from the rest, moves I’m sure they’re willing to make.

Thank you, to the staff of Absolutely Gospel for hosting this event, allowing the fans to participate, and keeping Southern Gospel alive in a polished manner.

This evening, Southern Spin Entertainment  Absolutely Gospel presented their annual awards program honoring the best in Southern Gospel’s favorite songs & albums, individuals & groups, musicians & producers, and several more. The event, sponsored by the Mysterymen Quartet, is available free to the public and was hosted this year by Madison Easter (2010 Absolutely Gospel Musician of the Year) and Devin McGlamery (2011 Absolutely Gospel Male Vocalist Nominee).

This is a play-by-play awards posting. Refresh to see if new award winners are added.

Here are the award recipients:

1. Male Vocalist: Michael English (Gaither Vocal Band)

2. Female Vocalist: Karen Peck Gooch (Karen Peck & New River)

3. Traditional Song of the Year: “Somebody Died for Me”- Triumphant Quartet (Christy Sutherland, Kyle Matthews/Everyday)

4. Traditional Album of the Year: A Tribute to the Cathedral Quartet- Ernie Haase & Signature Sound (Lari Goss, Wayne Haun/Gaither Music Group)

5. Country Song of the Year: TIE

• “Born to Climb” -Jeff & Sheri Easter (Wayne Haun, Joel Lindsey/Expecting Good Things)
• “When There’s No Hope, There Is Grace”- Dunaways (Rick Hendrix/It’s a God Thing)

6. Country Album of the Year: Shine- Bowling Family (Mike Bowling, Kelly Bowling, Terah Penhollow/Big Ten House of Music)

7. Progressive Song of the Year: “Why Can’t All God’s Children Get Along?” -Karen Peck & New River (Stephen Hill/No Worries)

8. Progressive Album of the Year: Never Walk Alone -Brian Free & Assurance (Ricky Free/Daywind Records)

9. Special Event Project of the Year: Christmas- Isaacs (Ben Isaacs, Bill Gaither/Gaither Music Group)

10. Engineer of the Year: Terry Thompson (Up Front Studios)

11. Artist Producer of the Year: Michael English (Gaither Vocal Band)

12. Professional Producer of the Year: Lari Goss

13. Artist Songwriter of the Year: Joseph Habedank (the Perrys)

14. Professional Songwriter of the Year: Kenna West

15. Musician of the Year: Madison Easter (Jeff & Sheri Easter)

16. Best Live Performer of the Year: Booth Brothers

17. Breakthrough Artist of the Year: Beyond the Ashes

18. Female Group of the Year: Sisters

19. Susan Unthank Memorial Award: Beckie Simmons Bates (Beckie Simmons Agency/BSA World Music)

20. Mixed Group of the Year: Karen Peck & New River

21. Male Group of the Year: Gaither Vocal Band

22. Album of the Year: A Tribute to the Cathedral Quartet- Ernie Haase & Signature Sound (Lari Goss, Wayne Haun/Gaither Music Group)

23. Song of the Year: “Born to Climb” -Jeff & Sheri Easter (Wayne Haun, Joel Lindsey/Expecting Good Things)

24. Pacesetter of the Year: Branson Gospel Music Convention- Rod & Kelly Burton

25. Fan Favorite Artist of the Year: Karen Peck & New River

It appears that these are the award winners for the 2011 Absolutely Gospel Ovation Awards. A special thank you to Chris Unthank, Troy Peach, Madison Easter, and Daywind Records for the live tweeting for those who couldn’t attend.

Be looking for a wrap-up and additional commentary tomorrow.

Yesterday evening, in spite of the Nashville, TN, thunderstorms, a group of Christian musicians and singers and music publishers gathered together for the annual BMI Christian Music Awards. These awards are sponsored by the nationally known publishing company, BMI, Broadcast Music, Inc. Each year, they honor the most-played songs from the previous year’s radio and television airplay results.

This year, Southern Gospel music was presented with several awards. Here are the Song of the Year honorees:

• “He Locked the Gates”- Kingdom Heirs (Rodney Griffin/Songs of Greater Vision)
• “It Pays to Pray”- Greater Vision (Rodney Griffin/Songs of Greater Vision)
• “Life Goes On”- Talley Trio (Marty Funderburk, Gina Boe/Christian Taylor Music)
• “Stuff of Life”- Booth Brothers (Jim Brady, Barry Weeks, & Tony Wood/Bridge Building Music)
• “When the Trumpet Sounds” – Triumphant Quartet (Wayne Haun, Joel Lindsey/Hefton Hill Music, Psalmsinger Music, and Universal Music-Brentwood Benson Songs)

In addition to the traditional Song of the Year honors, Rodney Griffin received the award for Christian Songwriter of the Year. BMI presents 3 songwriters each year with this honor, and Rodney Griffin received the award along with 2 other songwriters in Contemporary Christian Music. Congratulations, Rodney!

Though these awards honor the songs’ airplay in 2010, it is quite compelling to see a hit from 2009, “Life Goes On,” be one of the Top 5 played songs according to BMI’s calculations. Another interesting inclusion is “Stuff of Life,” which peaked at radio later in 2009. The airplay results could be from either 2010 exactly or mid-late 2009 to the same period in 2010. Given that all of these songs peaked on radio charts around this time last year or earlier, the first choice would seem reasonable.

Either way, congratulations to all songwriters, artists, and publishing companies for your wins!

Here is a complete list of the winners.

For over 40 years, the Gospel Music Association has produced an awards program to honor Christian music and all of its entities. The Dove Awards are presented in April of each year honoring the previous year’s efforts in songs, albums, artists, producers, and arrangers. Unlike the Grammy Awards, Southern Gospel music has received more recognition for its efforts.

Here are the categories of which artists/producers/arrangers of major Southern Gospel following are nominated:

Song of the Year: “Love Came Calling” (Triumphant Quartet); “Sometimes I Cry” (Jason Crabb)

Male Vocalist: Doug Anderson (Ernie Haase & Signature Sound); Jason Crabb

Female Vocalist: Janet Paschal

Group of the Year: Gaither Vocal Band; Ernie Haase & Signature Sound

Artist of the Year: Jason Crabb; Ernie Haase & Signature Sound

Producer: Wayne Haun

Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year: “I Feel a Song Coming On” (Ryan Seaton); “Joseph” (Jason Crabb)

Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year: “Better Day” (Gaither Vocal Band); “Faithful One” (Booth Brothers); “I Thirst” (Ernie Haase & Signature Sound); “Live with Jesus” (Oak Ridge Boys); “Love Came Calling” (Triumphant Quartet)

Bluegrass Recorded Song of the Year: “I’m Goin’ to Make Heaven My Home” (Lewis Tradition); “Workin’ on a Road” (Jeff & Sheri Easter)

Country Recorded Song of the Year: “Are You the One?” (Guy Penrod); “God’s Gonna Ease My Troublin’ Mind” (Oak Ridge Boys); “Living in the Arms of Mercy” (Hoppers); “Run and Tell” (Bowling Family)

Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year: “Go Tell It on the Mountain” (Jason Crabb)

Inspirational Album of the Year: A Cappella (Brian Free & Assurance); Acoustic Sunday (Kevin Williams); The Stage Is Bare (Ryan Seaton)

Southern Gospel Album of the Year: A Tribute to the Cathedral Quartet (Ernie Haase & Signature Sound); Greatly Blessed (Gaither Vocal Band); Never Walk Alone (Brian Free & Assurance); Shine (Bowling Family); Something’s Happening (Hoppers)

Bluegrass Album of the Year: Light on My Feet, Ready to Fly (Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver); Singing from the Heart (Dailey & Vincent)

Country Album of the Year: Breathe Deep (Guy Penrod); Expecting Good Things (Jeff & Sheri Easter); Times like These (Austins Bridge); Turn up the Music (Crawford Crossing)

Instrumental Album of the Year: Joy Comes in the Morning (Stan Whitmire)

Christmas Album of the Year: A Sentimental Christmas (Russ Taff); The Isaacs Christmas (Isaacs)

Choral Collection of the Year: Big Mighty God (Lari Goss); National Quartet Convention Collection (Marty Hamby)

Long Form Music Video of the Year: A Tribute to the Cathedral Quartet (Ernie Haase & Signature Sound); Count Your Blessings (Bill & Gloria Gaither and Homecoming Friends).

After looking over this list, I will posting more commentary about the nominations, awards program, and likelihood of Southern Gospel winners.