Steven Curtis Chapman
Sparrow Records’ artist Steven Curtis Chapman was awarded a GRAMMY Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album for his latest release, All Things New, at tonight’s show held live in Los Angeles. The 47th Annual Awards were broadcast nationwide on CBS.
Steven Curtis Chapman has previously won four consecutive GRAMMY Awards for Best Pop/ Contemporary Gospel Album (for Speechless, For The Sake of the Call, The Great Adventure and The Live Adventure). Selling over nine million records in his career, his GRAMMY-winning project, Speechless has been RIAA-certified Platinum, while For The Sake of the Call and The Great Adventure are RIAA-certified Gold.
Thrilled by last night’s win, Chapman comments, “This seemed uniquely special tonight of the theme of the album. I’ve been fortunate to have won four past Grammy awards, but it’s been a few years and albums since. Having taken some new turns with this current project, it feels like a new beginning and is truly ‘all things new.’ This was a truly great night.”
Smokie Norful
On the heels of his first Grammy award for Nothing Without You, the chart-topping follow-up to his debut release, I Need You Now, EMI Gospel recording artist Smokie Norful has been nominated for two GMA Music Awards (formerly Dove Awards), for “Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year” (“In the Middle”) and “Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year (Nothing Without You);” as well as an NAACP Image Award for “Outstanding Gospel Artist.” The 36th Annual GMA Music Awards take place on April 13 in Nashville. The 36th Annual NAACP Image Awards will be broadcast on Friday, March 25 on FOX.
Norful received a Grammy award for “Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album,” and his itinerary during Grammy Week included a performance at a first-ever Grammy gospel event produced by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Science (NARAS). On Thursday, February 10, the Grammy Salute to Gospel Music — hosted by Oscar-nominated actress Angela Bassett at the West Angeles Church of God in Christ — showcased some of gospel’s biggest stars. Norful shared the stage with Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin, CeCe Winans, Byron Cage, Kurt Carr and the Kurt Carr Singers, Donald Lawrence, Nicole Mullen, among many others. During his time in Los Angeles, Norful also shared his knowledge and experience with young people working on a special NARAS-coordinated recording project at the Capitol Recording Studios in Hollywood.
Randy Travis
Randy Travis took home the Grammy for the Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album category for Worship & Faith, his release of worship standards and traditional church hymns. This is Travis’ fifth Grammy award, and his second year in a row to win in this category. He won last year for his work on Rise and Shine which featured his smash single, “Three Wooden Crosses”.
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
With five GRAMMY awards to their name, INO Records’ Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir received their sixth GRAMMY Award last night at the 47th Annual GRAMMY Awards for Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album for Live…This is Your House. This is the third GRAMMY win for INO Records with the choir. The awards were held in Los Angeles, CA at the Staples Center.
“I count it an honor to have received this GRAMMY and am truly grateful to the academy for this recognition,” choir director Carol Cymbala states. “I want to thank the choir for all of their hard work and dedication, and my husband who has been my greatest encourager. Most of all, I give glory and thanks to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Because of His mercy and love, He has given us a reason to sing.”
The choir will be performing a celebratory concert this coming Sunday, February 20 at 3:30 P.M. (EST) in honor of their win. The nearly 300-voice group has won six GRAMMY awards including this year and two Dove Awards, and performed all over the globe.
The recording industry’s most prestigious award, the GRAMMY, is presented annually by the Recording Academy, NARAS (National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences). A GRAMMY is awarded by the Recording Academy’s voting membership to honor excellence in the recording arts and sciences. It is a peer honor, awarded by and to artists and technical professionals for artistic or technical achievement, not sales or chart positions. The annual GRAMMY Awards presentation brings together thousands of creative and technical professionals in the recording industry from all over the world.
Christian music GRAMMY winners include:
• Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album: “All Things New,” Steven Curtis Chapman
• Gospel performance: “Heaven Help Us All,” Ray Charles and Gladys Knight.
• Traditional soul gospel album: “There Will Be a Light,” Ben Harper and The Blind Boys of Alabama.
• Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album: “Worship & Faith,” Randy Travis
• Gospel choir or chorus album: “Live … This is Your House,” The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.
• Contemporary Soul Gospel Album: “I Need You Now,” Smokie Norful
• Bluegrass album: “Brand New Strings,” Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder.
And in the noteworthy category:
• Score soundtrack album for a motion picture, television or other visual media: “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” Howard Shore, composer.
• Song written for a motion picture, television or other visual media: “Into the West,” Annie Lennox, Howard Shore and Fran Walsh, songwriters, track from “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”
• Rock performance by a duo or group with vocal: “Vertigo,” U2.
• Short form music video: “Vertigo,” U2.
Nicole C. Mullen was also on hand last weekend for the festivities surrounding the Grammy Awards. On Thursday, Feb. 10th, Nicole C. Mullen took part in the Grammy Award’s Solute to Gospel performances.
47th Annual Grammy Award Nominees
