Dove Award Winners Announced

The 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards took place last night in Nashville. The kudofest, which celebrates inspirational music in all its incarnations, is the culmination of Gospel Music Association week. Some of the folks we know and love who were in attendance included Kierra Sheard, Mary Mary, Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin, Edwin Hawkins, Tye Tribbett, and Dietrick Haddon.

Here's a partial list of the winners of the 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards. Click here for a complete list.

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Steven Curtis Chapman

FEMALE VOCALIST
Natalie Grant

MALE VOCALIST
Brandon Heath

GROUP OF THE YEAR
Casting Crowns

NEW ARTIST
Tenth Avenue North

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Steven Curtis Chapman

SONG OF THE YEAR
Give Me Your Eyes, Brandon Heath and Jason Ingram

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Bernie Herms

URBAN SONG OF THE YEAR
Get Up, Mary Mary

URBAN ALBUM OF THE YEAR
The Fight of My Life, Kirk Franklin

TRADITIONAL GOSPEL SONG OF THE YEAR
Free At Last, The Blind Boys of Alabama

TRADITIONAL GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Down In New Orleans, The Blind Boys of Alabama

CONTEMPORARY GOSPEL SONG OF THE YEAR
How Great Is Our God, LaRue Howard

CONTEMPORARY GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Change the World, Martha Munizzi

Dove Award Nominations Announced

Nominations for the 40th Annual Dove Awards were announced Monday. The Doves, which are sponsored by the Gospel Music Association, are to Contemporary Christian Music what the Stellar Awards are to Gospel. Unlike the Stellars, the Doves strive to represent all genres of inspirational music.

Marvin Sapp picked up nods in the Male Vocalist of the Year and Artist of the Year categories. Other multiple nominees include Deitrick Haddon and his wife, Damita (pictured). The two are competing against each other in both the Urban Song and Urban Album categories. Kirk Franklin, Kierra Sheard, and Mary Mary were also recognized.

The awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, April 23rd at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. If you're not able to be in attendance, you can see it live on The Gospel Music Channel. For our purposes, here are some of the nominees urban audiences might recognize. A complete list can be found at the Dove Awards' website:

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Marvin Sapp

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Mandisa

GROUP OF THE YEAR
Mary Mary

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Marvin Sapp

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Jonathan Nelson

RAP/HIP HOP RECORDED SONG
Beautiful Morning; Reiterate; Grits featuring Pigeon John
Do Yo Thang; The Yearbook; KJ-52
Recordings/Uprok
Joyful Noise; Our World Redeemed; Flame featuring Lecrae & John
Reilly
Pull Your Pants Up!; Pull Your Pants Up!; Dooney “Da Priest”
So Beautiful; Citizen Activ

RAP/HIP HOP ALBUM
Citizen Activ; Manafest
Ordinary Dreamers; Group 1 Crew
Pull Your Pants Up!; Dooney “Da Priest”
Rebel; Lecrae
Reiterate; Grits

URBAN RECORDED SONG
Declaration (This Is It); The Fight Of My Life; Kirk Franklin
Get Up; The Sound; Mary Mary
Love Him Like I Do; Revealed; Deitrick Haddon with Ruben Studdard and Mary Mary
No Looking Back; No Looking Back; Damita
Not A Slave; Life By Stereo; J.R.

URBAN ALBUM
Bold Right Life; Kierra Sheard
The Fight of My Life; Kirk Franklin
Kingdom Business; Canton Jones
No Looking Back; Damita
Revealed; Deitrick Haddon

TRADITIONAL GOSPEL RECORDED SONG
Cry Your Last Tear; Cry Your Last Tear; Bishop Paul S. Morton & the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship Mass Choir
Deliverance; Past And Present; Lillie Knauls
Free At Last; Down In New Orleans; The Blind Boys of Alabama
God Is Good; Love Forever Shines; Regina Belle
Souled Out; Souled Out; Hezekiah Walker
Take It Back; Take It Back; Dorinda Clark-Cole

TRADITIONAL GOSPEL ALBUM
A New Day; Paul Porter
After 40 Years…Still Sweeping Through the City; Shirley Caesar
Cry Your Last Tear; Bishop Paul S. Morton & the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship Mass Choir
Do It!; Dottie Peoples
Down In New Orleans; The Blind Boys of Alabama

CONTEMPORARY GOSPEL RECORDED SONG
Favor Of God; Change The World; Martha Munizzi
Great Grace; Overcomer; Alvin Slaughter
How Great Is Our God; How Great Is Our God; LaRue Howard
My Name Is Victory; Right Now Praise; Jonathan Nelson & Purpose
Shall We Gather At The River; The Standard; Take 6
Waging War; Thy Kingdom Come; CeCe Winans

CONTEMPORARY GOSPEL ALBUM
Change the World; Martha Munizzi
Stand Out; Tye Tribbett & G.A.
The Sound; Mary Mary
The Standard; Take 6
Thy Kingdom Come; CeCe Winans

INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM
The Breath of Life; Angella Christie