NASHVILLE, Tenn. (February 3rd, 2023) – Absolutely Gospel announced the nominees for the 2023 Absolutely Gospel Music Awards, which will take place on April 18, 2023. Artists and songwriters who call Daywind Music Group home dominated many top categories, including Song of the Year (8), Album of the Year (5), Progressive Single (7), Bluegrass Artist (6), Musician (6), Artist Songwriter (5), Professional Songwriter (4), Fan Favorite Artist of the Year (4), and more. Karen Peck & New River and Joseph Habedank led all artists with a phenomenal 10 nominations each this year, including Song of the Year and Fan Favorite Artist of the Year nominations or both. The Sound came in right behind them, earning 8 nominations, in categories including Song of the Year and Album of the Year. Other artists receiving multiple nominations include The Guardians Quartet (6), Brian Free & Assurance (7), Jim & Melissa Brady (6), The Nelons (6), Greater Vision (4), High Road (3), Southbound (2), Chosen Road (2).

Ed Leonard, president of Daywind Music Group, states, “We are so honored by the nominations our artists and songwriters received for the 2023 AGM Awards. Our creators are family, and to see them recognized in this way for their wonderful God-honoring works is both humbling and thrilling at the same time.”

Daywind Nominees:

Song of the Year

“All the Praise” – LeFevre Quartet (T.R. Collins, M.Neale)

“Answer Is Jesus” – Karen Peck & New River (K.P.Gooch, L.Black, K.T.West)

“Child of the King” – Joseph Habedank (J.Habedank, D.Clark, D.Koch)

“God Is Real” – The Sound (J.Mills, L.Mills, R.Mills, S.C.Smith, B.Weeks)

“Not For Long” – Guardians Quartet (K.P.Gooch, J.D.Rowsey, S.C.Smith)

“He’s Got a Way” – Southbound (C.Brown, J.Braselton, S.J.Elbe)

“Looks Like Jesus” – Brian Free & Assurance (with Jimmy Fortune) (S.C.Smith, K.T.West, B.White)

“That Heavenly Home” – Tribute Quartet (J.W. Acuff)

Album of the Year

2:22 – Karen Peck & New River (W.Haun)

Come On In – Guardians Quartet (J.D.Rowsey, W.Haun)

God Is Real – The Sound (B.Weeks)

Meet Me At the Cross – Brian Free & Assurance (R.Free)

Think About There – Greater Vision (G.Wolfe, T.Ivey)

Breakthrough Artist:

Chosen Road

Male Vocalist

Jim Brady (of Booth Brothers/Jim & Melissa Brady)

Joseph Habedank

Levi Mills (of The Sound)

Bill Shivers (of Brian Free & Assurance)

Female Vocalist

Becky Isaacs Bowman (of The Isaacs)

Melissa Brady (of Jim & Melissa Brady)

Karen Peck Gooch (of Karen Peck & New River)

Male Group

Brian Free & Assurance

Guardians Quartet

The Sound

Tribute Quartet

Female Group

High Road

Mixed Group

Jim & Melissa Brady

Karen Peck & New River

The Nelons

Songwriter (Artist)

Lee Black (of Legacy Five)

Jim Brady (of Booth Brothers/Jim & Melissa Brady)

Karen Peck Gooch (of Karen Peck & New River)

Joseph Habedank

John Darin Rowsey (of Guardians Quartet)

Songwriter (Professional)

Jason Cox

Wayne Haun

Sue C. Smith

Nathan Woodard

Producer

Ricky Free

Wayne Haun

Ben Isaacs (of The Isaacs)

Trey Ivey

Musician

Autumn Nelon Clark (of The Nelons)

Sarah Davison (of High Road)

Matthew Gooch (of Karen Peck & New River)

Jacob Mills (of The Sound)

Josh Singletary (of Tribute Quartet)

Gerald Wolfe (of Greater Vision)

Traditional Single

“Not For Long” – Guardians Quartet (K.P.Gooch, J.D.Rowsey, S.C.Smith)

“Not My Will” – Tribute Quartet (A.Walker)

Traditional Recording

Come On In – Guardians Quartet (J.D.Rowsey, W.Haun)

Think About There – Greater Vision (G.Wolfe, T.Ivey)

Progressive Single

“Answer Is Jesus” – Karen Peck & New River (K.P.Gooch, L.Black, K.T.West)

“Child of the King” – Joseph Habedank (J.Habedank, D.Clark, D.Koch)

“God Is Real” – The Sound (J.Mills, L.Mills, R.Mills, S.C.Smith, B.Weeks)

“He’s Got a Way” – Southbound (C.Brown, J.Braselton, S.J.Elbe)

“Liar, Liar” – Brian Free & Assurance (J.Cox, J.Habedank, J.Tomlin)

“Scars In Heaven” – The Nelons (J.M.Hall, M.West)

“Welcome” – Jim & Melissa Brady (J.Brady, M.Farren, T.Wood)

Progressive Recording

2:22 – Karen Peck & New River (W.Haun)

I Feel Like Singing: Live at Daywind Studios – Angie Primm & Friends

Meet Me At the Cross – Brian Free & Assurance (R.Free)

Southern Roots Single

“Children Sing” – The Nelons (J.Clark, T.Wood)

“Faith, Hope, & Love” – High Road (K.Bearfield, S.Davison, K.T.West)

“Give Him What You Got” – The Isaacs (S.I.Yeary, R.I.Bowman)

“Make It Count” – The Sound (K.T.West, J.Cox, R.Mills)

Southern Roots Recording

God Is Real – The Sound (B.Weeks)

Songs That Pulled Me Through the Tough Times – Becky Isaacs Bowman (B.I.Bowman, B.Isaacs)

Special Event Project

30th Anniversary Celebration: The Live Experience – Greater Vision

I Feel Like Singing: Live at Daywind Studios – Angie Primm & Friends

Songs That Pulled Me Through the Tough Times – Becky Isaacs Bowman (B.I.Bowman, B.Isaacs)

We Need a Little Christmas – The Nelons (J.Clark)

Southern Music Video

“Looks Like Jesus” – Brian Free & Assurance (with Jimmy Fortune) (B.Free)

“The Keepers” – Karen Peck & New River (C.Baucom)

“Scars In Heaven” – The Nelons (C.Baucom)

Fan Favorite Artist of the Year

Jim & Melissa Brady

Joseph Habedank

Karen Peck & New River

Tribute Quartet

Bluegrass Artist

Appalachian Road Show

Chosen Road

Darin & Brooke Aldridge

Donna Ulisse

Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers

Marty Raybon & Full Circle

The 2023 Absolutely Gospel Awards celebration will take place on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, at the Capitol Theater in Lebanon, Tennessee at 6:00 p.m. Tickets will be available to purchase soon.

ABOUT DAYWIND MUSIC GROUP

Daywind Music Group is home to an award-winning roster of Gospel and Bluegrass artists and songwriters including Adam Crabb, Alan Bibey & Grasstowne, Appalachian Road Show, Authentic Unlimited, Barry Weeks, Belinda Smith, Blackwood Brothers, Brian Free & Assurance, Chosen Road, Clint Brown, Crabb Family, Darin and Brooke Aldridge, Devin McGlamery, Donna Ulisse, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, Greater Vision, Guardians Quartet, High Road, Jacob Mills, Janice Crow, Jason Cox, Jim & Melissa Brady, Jody Braselton, Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers, John Darin Rowsey, Jonathon Wilburn, Joseph Habedank, Karen Peck & New River, Karen Peck Gooch, Kim Hopper, Kristy Cox, Lee Black, LeFevre Quartet, Levi Mills, Marty Funderburk, Marty Raybon and Full Circle, Matthew Lawson, Michael Booth, Mike Harland, Natalie Cromwell, Nathan Woodard, The Nelons, Rob Mills, Seth Elbe, The Sound, Southbound, Sue C. Smith, Tennessee Bluegrass Band, Tim Lovelace, Tribute Quartet, and Wayne Haun. Daywind is distributed to retail through New Day Christian Distributors and the Orchard, covering all major physical, digital, and streaming outlets.

Daywind Music Group Official Website
Billy Blue Records Official Website

Courtesy of Wortman Works Media