Steven Curtis Chapman won Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year during Thursday’s 40th Annual Gospel Music Association (GMA) Dove Awards, capping an emotional year for the most decorated singer and songwriter in Christian music.
Chapman, who was named Artist of the Year for the seventh time, has collected five GRAMMY Awards and 56 Doves in his two-decade career. His 5-year-old daughter, Maria Sue, was killed last May when she was accidentally hit by a vehicle driven by her older brother in the driveway of the family’s home in Nashville.
Chapman performed the song “Cinderella” from his 2007 release This Moment in one of the Dove Awards’ most emotional moments, The (Nashville) Tennessean reported. “I know the reason why I think we’re standing here is not something we ever would have signed up for,” said Chapman with wife, Mary Beth, by his side. “Our hope is not in this life. … If we can say anything as a family, a broken family having lost our little girl, it’s to let this hope make us so bold.”
Natalie Grant was awarded Female Vocalist of the Year for the fourth year in a row. Brandon Heath, who was New Artist of the Year in 2008, nabbed Male Vocalist of the Year and Song of the Year for “Give Me Your Eyes.” Casting Crowns won three awards — including the band’s fifth consecutive Group of the Year honor — while Tenth Avenue North was named New Artist of the Year.
Closing out GMA Music Week, the awards were held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville and televised live on the Gospel Music Channel.
Below is a complete list of winners, with details of their latest releases.
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Steven Curtis Chapman
Latest release: This Moment: Cinderella Edition (Sparrow Records)
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Tenth Avenue North
Over and Underneath (Reunion Records)
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Steven Curtis Chapman
SONG OF THE YEAR
“Give Me Your Eyes”: Brandon Heath and Jason Ingram
What If We (Reunion Records)
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Brandon Heath
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Natalie Grant
Relentless (Curb Records)
GROUP OF THE YEAR
Casting Crowns
Peace on Earth(Reunion Records)
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Bernie Herms
RAP/HIP HOP RECORDED SONG
“Do Yo Thang”: KJ-52
The Yearbook (BEC Recordings)
ROCK RECORDED SONG
“Lost”: Red
End of Silence (Essential Records)
ROCK/CONTEMPORARY RECORDED SONG
“Washed by the Water”: Needtobreathe
The Heat (Atlantic Records)
POP/CONTEMPORARY RECORDED SONG
“Give Me Your Eyes”: Brandon Heath
INSPIRATIONAL RECORDED SONG
“A New Hallelujah”: Michael W. Smith
A New Hallelujah (Reunion Records)
SOUTHERN GOSPEL RECORDED SONG
“Reason Enough”: Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
Dream On (Gaither Music Group)
BLUEGRASS RECORDED SONG
“They’re Holding Up the Ladder”: Jeff & Sheri Easter
We Are Family (Daywind Records)
COUNTRY RECORDED SONG
“I Wish”: Point of Grace
How You Live: Deluxe Edition (Word Records)
URBAN RECORDED SONG
“Get Up”: Mary Mary
The Sound (Columbia Records)
TRADITIONAL GOSPEL RECORDED SONG
“Free at Last”: The Blind Boys of Alabama
Down in New Orleans (Time Life Music)
CONTEMPORARY GOSPEL RECORDED SONG
“How Great Is Our God”: LaRue Howard
How Great Is Our God (EMI Gospel)
WORSHIP SONG
“Mighty to Save”: Ben Fielding and Reuben Morgan
RAP/HIP HOP ALBUM
Ordinary Dreamers (Fervent Records) by Group 1 Crew
ROCK ALBUM
Satisfied (Slanted Records) by DecembeRadio
ROCK/CONTEMPORARY ALBUM
Never Going Back to OK (INO Records) by The Afters
POP/CONTEMPORARY ALBUM
Revelation (Essential Records) by Third Day
Latest release: Live Revelations (Essential Records)
INSPIRATIONAL ALBUM
Great God Who Saves (INO Records) by Laura Story
SOUTHERN GOSPEL ALBUM
Lovin’ Life (Gaither Music Group) by Ernie Gaither Vocal Band
BLUEGRASS ALBUM
We Are Family (Daywind Records) by Jeff & Sheri Easter
COUNTRY ALBUM
Around the Bend (Warner Bros. Records) by Randy Travis
Latest release: Three Wooden Crosses: The Inspirational Hits of Randy Travis (Word)
URBAN ALBUM
The Fight of My Life (Zomba Gospel) by Kirk Franklin
TRADITIONAL GOSPEL ALBUM
Down in New Orleans (Time Life Music) by The Blind Boys of Alabama
CONTEMPORARY GOSPEL ALBUM
Change the World (Martha Munizzi Music) by Martha Munizzi
INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM
Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (Walt Disney Records) by various artists
CHILDREN’S MUSIC ALBUM
Absolute Modern Worship for Kids 4 (Fervent Records) by various artists
SPANISH LANGUAGE ALBUM
Rescatame (BEC Recordings) by Seventh Day Slumber
Latest release: Take Everything (BEC Recordings)
SPECIAL EVENT ALBUM
Passion: God of This City (Sparrow Records) by Chris Tomlin, Charlie Hall, David Crowder Band, Christy Nockels, Kristian Stanfill, Fee and Matt Redman
CHRISTMAS ALBUM
Peace on Earth (Beach Street Records) by Casting Crowns
Latest release: The Altar and the Door Live (Beach Street Records)
PRAISE & WORSHIP ALBUM
A New Hallelujah (Reunion Records) by Michael W. Smith
MUSICAL
God Bless the USA (Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing) by Sue C. Smith, Joel Lindsey and Russell Mauldin
YOUTH/CHILDREN’S MUSICAL
An Island Christmas (Lillenas Publishing Company) by Wayne Haun, Shelby Haun and Joel Lindsey
CHORAL COLLECTION
I’ll Say Yes (Brooklyn Tabernacle Music) by Carol Cymbala
RECORDED MUSIC PACKAGING
Revelation (Essential Records) by Third Day
SHORT FORM MUSIC VIDEO
“Slow Fade” (Beach Street Records) by Casting Crowns;
LONG FORM MUSIC VIDEO
Alive and Transported (ForeFront Records) by TobyMac
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