Diversity of Awards
San Diego alt rockers and mainstream breakthrough band Switchfoot and southern gospel’s Kentucky-bred The Crabb Family painted a striking picture of gospel music’s diversity and youth as the two groups emerged among the most honored artists at the 36th Annual GMA Music Awards, presented Wednesday night at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. Joining them in receiving multiple Dove Awards were pop band Casting Crowns, gospel worship artist Israel & New Breed and singer/songwriters Jeremy Camp and Nicole C. Mullen.
Word Records’ Nicole C. Mullen and Building 429 Collect Dove Awards in Top Categories
Word Records’ renowned singer/songwriter Nicole C. Mullen and acclaimed rock newcomer Building 429 collected Dove Awards in top categories at the 36th Annual GMA Music Awards, held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. GRAMMY nominated and now nine-time Dove Award recipient Nicole C. Mullen was named “Female Vocalist of the Year,” an honor she previously claimed in 2002. She and husband, David Mullen, additionally took home trophies for her third national release, Everyday People, winning in the “Urban Album” category. Currently with over 1 million in unit career sales, Nicole C. Mullen was first honored with a Gospel Music Award in 1998 for co-writing the radio hit, “On My Knees.”
Multi-GMA Award nominated Building 429 received top-category honors as “New Artist of the Year.” Further categories in which the band was up for awards included “Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year,” for its critically applauded 2004 release, Space In Between Us, and “Rock/Contemporary Song of the Year” and coveted “Song of the Year,” for Building 429’s “Glory Defined,” one of the most successful debut radio singles ever. Last year, the song reached No. 1 on CRW’s AC radio chart faster than any song in chart history and remained there for 10 consecutive weeks. Both Nicole C. Mullen and Building 429 were additionally spotlighted during the evening as each were invited to present awards to other artists. Up for multiple GMA Awards, BarlowGirl (Fervent Records, a division of Word Label Group) also received a standing ovation following their performance of the hit single, “Never Alone.”
Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman Receive First- Ever GMA Music Awards
Two of today’s most recognized artist-worshipers, sixstepsrecords’ Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman each received their first GMA Music Award during the 36th Annual GMA Music Awards presented Wednesday at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. Chris Tomlin, nominated for three awards, received the nod for Praise & Worship Album of the Year for Arriving. Nominated for four GMA Music Awards, Matt Redman received the award for Worship Song of the Year for “Blessed Be Your Name.” “Blessed Be Your Name” also became an anthem of the evening as the attending artists, celebrities and audience arose to their feet and sang the song with Redman, Tomlin and label mate David Crowder leading on stage. The crowd continued to worship with Tomlin as he seamlessly launched into his current radio hit, “Holy Is The Lord.” In addition to his award, Tomlin recently made radio history by becoming the first artist ever on R & R’s Christian AC chart to have two singles simultaneously in the Top 10. Tomlin is also known for writing “Forever,” “We Fall Down,” “The Wonderful Cross,” “Famous One” and more anthems sung by millions of people each week in churches around the world.
With his “Blessed Be Your Name” claiming the No. 1 radio spot across multiple charts in 2004, Redman is also known for such worship anthems as “The Heart of Worship,” “Better Is One Day,” “Let Everything That Has Breath,” and “Undignified,” which received a GMA Music Award nomination this year for Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year. Several acclaimed artists, such as Michael W. Smith, Rebecca St. James and Tree 63, have recorded his songs for their own projects. Some of these songs will be featured on the album Blessed Be The Name: Songs of Matt Redman Vol. 1, releasing July 19. A companion book will release in August from Regal.
Jeremy Camp Wins Three Doves
BEC Recordings artist Jeremy Camp was awarded three Dove Awards at last night’s 36th Annual GMA Music Awards, held in Nashville, TN at the Grand Ole Opry House. Camp won, for the second year in a row, the Male Vocalist of the Year Award and was awarded twice as performer and songwriter for Rock Recorded Song of the Year for “Stay,” his No. 1 single from his debut album Stay. Camp was 2004’s Male Vocalist of the Year from last year’s GMA Music Awards as well as New Artist of the Year, bringing his Dove Awards total to five. Camp also walked away with top honors at the 27th Annual ASCAP Christian Music Awards as he was named Songwriter of the Year for his No. 1 singles “Right Here” and “Walk By Faith.” More on Jeremy at Jeremy Camp Headlines Fall Tour
Sanctus Real Receives First Dove
R & R’s most played Christian Rock band of 2004, Sanctus Real, received its first-ever GMA Music Award for Modern Rock Album of the Year for Fight The Tide, the band’s fastest selling album.
The 36th Annual GMA Music Awards will be televised in national syndication during the month of June. The complete list of winners is located at 36th Annual Dove Award Winners.For more information on broadcast times and locations, visit www.gospelmusic.org.
Related Articles & Links:
2005 Dove’s Night Photo Gallery
36th Annual Dove Award Winners List
GMA Journal
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