The Gospel Music Association (GMA) announced today the nominees for the 50th Annual GMA Dove Awards, revealed exclusively on Facebook ‘Live’ with the help of Natalie Grant, Jekalyn Carr and Karen Peck. This historic celebration will take place on Tuesday, October 15 in Nashville, Tennessee. Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) will exclusively air the show on Sunday, October 20, 8 p.m. EST / 5 p.m. PST. Voting for the final winners will run August 21 through August 28.
Lauren Daigle leads artist nominations with six, followed by for KING & COUNTRY and Kirk Franklin with five. Crowder, Phil Wickham, Tasha Cobbs Leonard and TobyMac each honored with four nods. Top nominated writer/producer Wayne Haun scored 10 nominations. View the full list of nominees here.
“Congratulations to this year’s Dove Award nominees!” GMA President Jackie Patillo said. “This year, to commemorate our golden anniversary, we will celebrate some iconic Dove Awards moments from the last 50 years. This milestone reminds us all of the extraordinary people whose shoulders we are standing on today and how the sound has evolved over the years!”
The 50th celebration will be a powerful evening of high-energy and unforgettable vocal events paying tribute to 50 years of special appearances and sensational stage highlights over the decades. Performances representing modern Rock, Rap/Hip Hop, Pop/Contemporary, Inspirational, Southern Gospel, Bluegrass, Country, Worship and more will make up an evening praising the rich musical diversity from the past, present and future of Gospel and Christian music. Nominees are determined by GMA’s professional members, and winners will be voted on by the entire GMA membership. For more information or to purchase tickets to the show, visit www.doveawards.com.
Artist of the Year
for KING & COUNTRY, Curb / Word Entertainment
Hillsong UNITED, Hillsong Music / Capitol CMG
Lauren Daigle, Centricity
MercyMe, Fair Trade
TobyMac, Forefront / Capitol CMG
Song of the Year
“Counting Every Blessing” – (writers) Chris Llewellyn, Gareth Gilkeson, (publishers) Capitol CMG Paragon, Rend Family Music
“Everything” – (writers) David Garcia, Toby McKeehan, (publishers) Achtober Songs, D Soul Music, Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing
“Joy.” – (writers) Ben Glover, Joel Smallbone, Luke Smallbone, Matt Hales, Seth Mosley, Stephen Blake Kanicka, Tedd Tjornhom, (publishers) 9t One Songs, Ariose Music, CentricSongs, Curb Wordspring Music LLC, Fleauxmotion Music, Kilns Music, Method to the Madness, Shankel Songs, Shaun Shankel Pub Designee, Stephen Blake Kanicka Publishing, These Tunes Go To 11, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
“Known” – (writers) Ethan Hulse, Jordan Sapp, Tauren Wells, (publishers) Be Essential Songs, Capitol CMG Paragon, Crucial Music Entertainment, EGH Music Publishing
“Living Hope” – (writers) Brian Johnson, Phil Wickham, (publishers) Bethel Music Publishing, Phil Wickham Music, Simply Global Songs, Sing My Songs
“Only Jesus” – (writers) Bernie Herms, Mark Hall, Matthew West, (publishers) Be Essential Songs, Highly Combustible Music, House of Story Music Publishing, My Refuge Music, One77 Songs
“Red Letters” – (writers) David Crowder, Ed Cash, (publishers) Alletrop Music, Inot Music, sixsteps Music, worshiptogether.com songs
“The Breakup Song” – (writers) Bart Millard, David Garcia, Francesca Battistelli, (publishers) Bartatronic Millaphonic, D Soul Music, Francesca Music, Tunes of MercyMe, Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing, Word Music LLC
“Who You Say I Am” – (writers) Ben Fielding, Reuben Morgan, (publisher) Hillsong Music Publishing
“Won’t He Do It” – (writers) Loren Hill, Makeba Riddick-Woods, Rich Shelton, (publishers) SONGSBYMAK, Janice Combs Publishing, EMI Blackwood Music Inc., Nieze World Music, One Dynasty Music
“You Say” – (writers) Jason Ingram, Paul Mabury, Lauren Daigle, (publishers) CentricSongs, Fellow Ships Music, Flychild Publishing, So Essential Tunes
New Artist of the Year
Aaron Cole, Gotee Records
Austin French, Fair Trade
Josh Baldwin, Bethel Music
Kelontae Gavin, MBE / Tyscot
Riley Clemmons, Sparrow Records / Capitol CMG
Gospel Artist of the Year
Jekalyn Carr, Lunjeal Music Group
Kirk Franklin, Fo Yo Soul Recordings / RCA Records
Koryn Hawthorne, RCA Inspiration
Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Motown Gospel
Travis Greene, RCA Inspiration
Worship Song of the Year
“Build My Life” – (writers) Brett Younker, Karl Martin, Kirby Kaple, Matt Redman, Pat Barrett, (publishers) Bethel Music Publishing, Capitol CMG Genesis, Housefires Sounds, Kaple Music, Martin Karl Andrew, Said And Done Music, sixsteps Music Thankyou Music worshiptogether.com songs
“Living Hope” – (writers) Brian Johnson, Phil Wickham, (publishers) Bethel Music Publishing, Phil Wickham Music, Simply Global Songs, Sing My Songs
“Surrounded (Fight My Battles)” – (writer) Elyssa Smith, (publisher) UR Global Publishing
“Who You Say I Am” – (writers) Ben Fielding, Reuben Morgan, (publisher) Hillsong Music Publishing
“Yes I Will” – (writers) Eddie Hoagland, Jonathan Smith, Mia Fieldes, (publishers) All Essential Music, Be Essential Songs, HBC Worship Music, Hickory Bill Doc, Jingram Music Publishing, So Essential Tunes, Upside Down Under
Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year
“Only Jesus” – Casting Crowns, (writers) Bernie Herms, Mark Hall, Matthew West
“God Only Knows” – for KING & COUNTRY, (writers) Joel Smallbone, Jordan Reynolds, Josh Kerr, Luke Smallbone, Tedd Tjornhom
“The Breakup Song” – Francesca Battisteli, (writers) Bart Millard, David Garcia, Francesca Battistelli
“You Say” – Lauren Daigle, (writers) Jason Ingram, Lauren Daigle, Paul Mabury
“Known” – Tauren Wells, (writers) Ethan Hulse, Jordan Sapp, Tauren Wells
Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
“Blessings On Blessings” – Anthony Brown & group therAPy, (writer) Anthony Brown
“Make Room” – Jonathan McReynolds, (writer) Jonathan McReynolds
“Love Theory” – Kirk Franklin, (writer) Kirk Franklin
“Unstoppable” – Koryn Hawthorne, (writers) Kid Class, Makeba Riddick, Robert D. Reese
“My God (feat. Mr. Talkbox)” – Nashville Life Music, (writer) Dwan Hill
Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
“Longing For Home” – Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, (writers) Ernie Hasse, Joel Lindsey, Wayne Haun
“We Are All God’s Children” – Gaither Vocal Band, (writers) Benjamin Gaither, Sara Beth Terry, Todd Suttles
“How Great Thou Art (feat. Sonya Isaacs)” – Josh Turner, (writer) Stuart K. Hine
“I Know I’ll Be There” – Karen Peck & New River, (writers) Dave Clark, Karen Peck Gooch, Wayne Haun
“Even Me” – Triumphant Quartet, (writers) Jason Cox, Jeff Bumgardner, Kenna Turner West
Inspirational Film of the Year
“Breakthrough” – (director) Roxann Dawson, (producers) DeVon Franklin, Jessica Dunn
“Indivisible” – (director) David G. Evans, (producers) Darren Moorman, David G. Evans, Esther Evans
“Run The Race” – (director) Chris Dowling, (producers) Darren Moorman, Jake McEntire, Ken Carpenter
“Unbroken: Path to Redemption” – (director) Harold Cronk, (producers) Matt Baer, Mike Elliot
“Unplanned” – (directors) Chuck Konzelman, Cary Solomon, (producers) Cary Solomon, Chris Jones, Chuck Konzelman, Daryl C. Lefever, Fabiano Altamura, Jason Stafford, Joe Knopp, Mark Cheatwood, Megan Harrington, Sheila Hart