CeCe Winans takes home top honors at 55th Annual GMA Dove Awards as iconic awards show ends an era at Lipscomb University
In what remains a standing date, The SMG Report returned to Allen Arena on the campus of Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee for the 55th GMA Dove Awards. Special thanks to GMA President, Jackie Patillo, Cristina Garvin and Bill Carpenter for another special year for Gospel/Christian music and the men and women who play and write about it. The biggest winners of all, as usual, is those who support it. Sacred music lovers and artists enjoyed spectacular performances, collaborations and the comedic styling of Tauren Wells who returned as host a second year. Big winners of the night included CeCe Winans (Artist of the Year), Forrest Frank (New Artist of the Year) and Phil Wickam (Worship Album of the Year). Song of the Year, “Holy Forever” celebrated the Dove diversity, as Bethel Music, Miel San Marcos and Gabriel Guedes shared the stage and sang their Spanish and Portuguese versions of the song.
The awards show opened with a blistering performance of CeCe Winans’ latest single, “That’s My King” and never looked back. The high energy show was full of iconic moments, as we celebrated our favorite artists, got into the performances and even shed tears remembering those we lost this year. Anike made GMA Dove Awards history as the FIRST woman rap nominee to perform during the show. As if to say, “I got all my sisters with me!” Anike, held out one of the biggest surprises of the night for the waning moments of her performance when other women CHH rappers joined her onstage. Tauren Wells performed with John Cooper and Davies, Holy Forever’s multilingual treatment and Forrest Frank with members of the Choir Room, this year’s show was collaborative lift you gotta see! The show was sold-out weeks before taping and I can see why! The Dove Awards takes on the responisbility of honoring almost every sub-genre of Gospel and Christian music. This celebration of diversity has caused dilemmas in the past as the nation grappled with national police brutality crises. On her “Out of the Dark” album, Mandisa using a portion of Kirk Franklin’s stirring speech sang, “We All Bleed the Same” as the song’s introduction. This appeal to unity despite any musical, racial, denominational, or national difference reverberated as this year’s theme, “Unite the Song“.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Psalm 133:1
Regardless of where artists land in the religiously or politically, this year’s appeal for unity points our collective efforts to Jesus in a way that hasn’t been seen before. The Gospel Music Association is comprised of music professionals from all walks of life. With each walk of life comes a varying perspective but under the leadership of Jackie Patillo, it’s clear the GMA won’t let our differences divide us. The country is in the midst of one of the most hotly contested general elections but the night lifted us all above the noise in the nation to where believers should always be, in fellowship with each other. This was evident on the red carpet and in the media room as media professionals who cover both Gospel and Christian music converged to create a gaggle unlike any other award show.
The SMG Report on the GMA Dove Awards Red Carpet
Other big winners from the big night were:
WORSHIP RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR: “Praise” – Elevation Worship (ft. Brandon Lake, Chris Brown, Chandler Moore)
RAP/HIP HOP ALBUM OF THE YEAR: His Glory Alone II – KB
SPANISH LANGUAGE RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR: “Tantas Historias” – Christine D’Clario
CONTEMPORARY GOSPEL RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR: “God Problems” – Maverick City Music (ft. Naomie Raine, Chandler Moore)
POP/CONTEMPORARY ALBUM OF THE YEAR: COAT OF MANY COLORS – Brandon Lake
SOUTHERN GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Live In Amsterdam – Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
FEATURE FILM OF THE YEAR: Unsung Hero – (Directors) Richard Ramsey, Joel Smallbone, (Producers) Joel Smallbone, Josh Walsh, Luke Smallbone, Justin Tolley
For the full list of winners, CLICK HERE.
In one of the most moving moments of the night, Natalie Grant sang “My Tribute” to a backdrop of the many artists, musicians, and executives we lost this year. The performance was perfect, perfunctory, and poignant as moments of remembrance were serenity overtook the arena. One of the most notable deaths this year was the death of Mandisa. Tauren Wells shared a voice note from Mandisa, who reached out to him on release day. Not one to miss the immensity of the moment, Wells remarked about the importance of our words and the why what we say matters.
The words you speak could be the most valuable thing you leave behind. -Tauren Wells
During his acceptance speech for the Jackie Patillo Leadership Award, famed songwriter, producer and Gospel giant Bill Gaither encouraged songwriters to keep writing but to keep writing THEIR song. “I want to encourage all you young songwriters to keep writing your songs. There’s a hole in the heart of this country. There’s a whole lot of empty going on. Somewhere along the way, we’ve lost our song. There’s a hole in the heart of America that only God can fill.”
Photo Credit: Jamie Gilliam
Photo Credit: Jamie Gilliam
Photo Credit: Jamie Gilliam
The SMG Report Backstage at the GMA Dove Awards
FLIGHT TIME! The Dove Awards is MOVING…WATCH TO FIND OUT WHERE!
In a surprise announcement, the GMA revealed the 56th Annual GMA Dove Awards will be held at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena in the heart of Music City. Keystone Dove Award winners Steven Curtis Chapman, Jason Crabb, Jekalyn Carr, Danny Gokey and CeCe Winans helped deliver the announcement, carrying the Dove statuette from Lipscomb’s Allen Arena to Bridgestone Arena.
