NASHVILLE, Tenn. (August 14, 2019) – The Gospel Music Association (GMA) announced today the nominees for the 50th Annual GMA Dove Awards, revealed exclusively on Facebook ‘Live’ with the help of Natalie Grant, Jekalyn Carr and Karen Peck. This historic celebration will take place on Tuesday, October 15 in Nashville, Tennessee. Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) will exclusively air the show on Sunday, October 20, 8 p.m. EST / 5 p.m. PST. Voting for the final winners will run August 21 through August 28.

Lauren Daigle leads artist nominations with six, followed by for KING & COUNTRY and Kirk Franklin with five. Crowder, Phil Wickham, Tasha Cobbs Leonard and TobyMac each honored with four nods. Top nominated writer/producer Wayne Haun scored 10 nominations.

“Congratulations to this year’s Dove Award nominees!” GMA President Jackie Patillo said. “This year, to commemorate our golden anniversary, we will celebrate some iconic Dove Awards moments from the last 50 years. This milestone reminds us all of the extraordinary people whose shoulders we are standing on today and how the sound has evolved over the years!”

The 50th celebration will be a powerful evening of high-energy and unforgettable vocal events paying tribute to 50 years of special appearances and sensational stage highlights over the decades. Performances representing modern Rock, Rap/Hip Hop, Pop/Contemporary, Inspirational, Southern Gospel, Bluegrass, Country, Worship and more will make up an evening praising the rich musical diversity from the past, present and future of Gospel and Christian music. Nominees are determined by GMA’s professional members, and winners will be voted on by the entire GMA membership. For more information or to purchase tickets to the show, visit www.doveawards.com.

Artist of the Year

for KING & COUNTRY, Curb / Word Entertainment

Hillsong UNITED, Hillsong Music / Capitol CMG

Lauren Daigle, Centricity

MercyMe, Fair Trade

TobyMac, Forefront / Capitol CMG

Song of the Year

“Counting Every Blessing” – (writers) Chris Llewellyn, Gareth Gilkeson, (publishers) Capitol CMG Paragon, Rend Family Music

“Everything” – (writers) David Garcia, Toby McKeehan, (publishers) Achtober Songs, D Soul Music, Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing

“Joy.” – (writers) Ben Glover, Joel Smallbone, Luke Smallbone, Matt Hales, Seth Mosley, Stephen Blake Kanicka, Tedd Tjornhom, (publishers) 9t One Songs, Ariose Music, CentricSongs, Curb Wordspring Music LLC, Fleauxmotion Music, Kilns Music, Method to the Madness, Shankel Songs, Shaun Shankel Pub Designee, Stephen Blake Kanicka Publishing, These Tunes Go To 11, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

“Known” – (writers) Ethan Hulse, Jordan Sapp, Tauren Wells, (publishers) Be Essential Songs, Capitol CMG Paragon, Crucial Music Entertainment, EGH Music Publishing

“Living Hope” – (writers) Brian Johnson, Phil Wickham, (publishers) Bethel Music Publishing, Phil Wickham Music, Simply Global Songs, Sing My Songs

“Only Jesus” – (writers) Bernie Herms, Mark Hall, Matthew West, (publishers) Be Essential Songs, Highly Combustible Music, House of Story Music Publishing, My Refuge Music, One77 Songs

“Red Letters” – (writers) David Crowder, Ed Cash, (publishers) Alletrop Music, Inot Music, sixsteps Music, worshiptogether.com songs

“The Breakup Song” – (writers) Bart Millard, David Garcia, Francesca Battistelli, (publishers) Bartatronic Millaphonic, D Soul Music, Francesca Music, Tunes of MercyMe, Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing, Word Music LLC

“Who You Say I Am” – (writers) Ben Fielding, Reuben Morgan, (publisher) Hillsong Music Publishing

“Won’t He Do It” – (writers) Loren Hill, Makeba Riddick-Woods, Rich Shelton, (publishers) SONGSBYMAK, Janice Combs Publishing, EMI Blackwood Music Inc., Nieze World Music, One Dynasty Music

“You Say” – (writers) Jason Ingram, Paul Mabury, Lauren Daigle, (publishers) CentricSongs, Fellow Ships Music, Flychild Publishing, So Essential Tunes

New Artist of the Year

Aaron Cole, Gotee Records

Austin French, Fair Trade

Josh Baldwin, Bethel Music

Kelontae Gavin, MBE / Tyscot

Riley Clemmons, Sparrow Records / Capitol CMG

Gospel Artist of the Year

Jekalyn Carr, Lunjeal Music Group

Kirk Franklin, Fo Yo Soul Recordings / RCA Records

Koryn Hawthorne, RCA Inspiration

Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Motown Gospel

Travis Greene, RCA Inspiration

Worship Song of the Year

“Build My Life” – (writers) Brett Younker, Karl Martin, Kirby Kaple, Matt Redman, Pat Barrett, (publishers) Bethel Music Publishing, Capitol CMG Genesis, Housefires Sounds, Kaple Music, Martin Karl Andrew, Said And Done Music, sixsteps Music Thankyou Music worshiptogether.com songs

“Living Hope” – (writers) Brian Johnson, Phil Wickham, (publishers) Bethel Music Publishing, Phil Wickham Music, Simply Global Songs, Sing My Songs

“Surrounded (Fight My Battles)” – (writer) Elyssa Smith, (publisher) UR Global Publishing

“Who You Say I Am” – (writers) Ben Fielding, Reuben Morgan, (publisher) Hillsong Music Publishing

“Yes I Will” – (writers) Eddie Hoagland, Jonathan Smith, Mia Fieldes, (publishers) All Essential Music, Be Essential Songs, HBC Worship Music, Hickory Bill Doc, Jingram Music Publishing, So Essential Tunes, Upside Down Under

Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year

“Only Jesus” – Casting Crowns, (writers) Bernie Herms, Mark Hall, Matthew West

“God Only Knows” – for KING & COUNTRY, (writers) Joel Smallbone, Jordan Reynolds, Josh Kerr, Luke Smallbone, Tedd Tjornhom

“The Breakup Song” – Francesca Battisteli, (writers) Bart Millard, David Garcia, Francesca Battistelli

“You Say” – Lauren Daigle, (writers) Jason Ingram, Lauren Daigle, Paul Mabury

“Known” – Tauren Wells, (writers) Ethan Hulse, Jordan Sapp, Tauren Wells

Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year

“Blessings On Blessings” – Anthony Brown & group therAPy, (writer) Anthony Brown

“Make Room” – Jonathan McReynolds, (writer) Jonathan McReynolds

“Love Theory” – Kirk Franklin, (writer) Kirk Franklin

“Unstoppable” – Koryn Hawthorne, (writers) Kid Class, Makeba Riddick, Robert D. Reese

“My God (feat. Mr. Talkbox)” – Nashville Life Music, (writer) Dwan Hill

Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year

“Longing For Home” – Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, (writers) Ernie Hasse, Joel Lindsey, Wayne Haun

“We Are All God’s Children” – Gaither Vocal Band, (writers) Benjamin Gaither, Sara Beth Terry, Todd Suttles

“How Great Thou Art (feat. Sonya Isaacs)” – Josh Turner, (writer) Stuart K. Hine

“I Know I’ll Be There” – Karen Peck & New River, (writers) Dave Clark, Karen Peck Gooch, Wayne Haun

“Even Me” – Triumphant Quartet, (writers) Jason Cox, Jeff Bumgardner, Kenna Turner West

Inspirational Film of the Year

“Breakthrough” – (director) Roxann Dawson, (producers) DeVon Franklin, Jessica Dunn

“Indivisible” – (director) David G. Evans, (producers) Darren Moorman, David G. Evans, Esther Evans

“Run The Race” – (director) Chris Dowling, (producers) Darren Moorman, Jake McEntire, Ken Carpenter

“Unbroken: Path to Redemption” – (director) Harold Cronk, (producers) Matt Baer, Mike Elliot

“Unplanned” – (directors) Chuck Konzelman, Cary Solomon, (producers) Cary Solomon, Chris Jones, Chuck Konzelman, Daryl C. Lefever, Fabiano Altamura, Jason Stafford, Joe Knopp, Mark Cheatwood, Megan Harrington, Sheila Hart

About Gospel Music Association & Foundation:
Founded in 1964, the Gospel Music Association serves as the face and voice for the Gospel/Christian music community and is dedicated to exposing, promoting and celebrating the Gospel through music of all styles. The GMA produces the GMA Dove Awards, The GMA Hall of Fame Induction and Honors Ceremony and the IMMERSE Conference. For more on supporting the GMA or becoming a member, please visit www.gospelmusic.org.

About the Trinity Broadcasting Network:
TBN is the world’s largest and most watched faith-and-family broadcaster, reaching over 175 nations across the earth with inspirational and entertaining programming 24 hours a day in 14 languages and on 32 global networks. As the world’s most influential non-profit religious broadcaster, TBN has led the way in expanding the impact of faith-based television across the earth through the creation of innovative content designed to reach every viewer demographic with the life-changing message of hope and grace. To find out more about the TBN Networks, visit us at tbn.org.

Courtesy of Wortman Works Media & Marketing