See all 2008 BMI Dove Award Winners

TobyMac's signature genre-bridging resulted in the Artist of the Year crown, while his latest album Portable Sounds received Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year honors. His music video for the single "Boomin'" also received praise, winning the award for Short Form Video of the Year.

Casting Crowns earned three awards, while lead vocalist and main songwriter Mark Hall took home four additional trophies. The group garnered yet another Group of the Year trophy, marking their forth consecutive win in the prestigious category. The band's Doves also included Best Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year for The Altar and the Door, which made an unprecedented debut at No. 2 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart when it released in 2007. "East to West," co-written by Hall, earned Song of the Year honors for both Casting Crowns and Hall individually, along with Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year accolades.

Glory Revealed, Mark Hall's collaboration with numerous artists including BMI singer/songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman, won Special Event Album of the Year, while the project's single "By His Wounds" garnered the all-star coalition another award for Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year.

BMI artists Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Trin-i-tee 5:7, Israel Houghton & New Breed and Steven Curtis Chapman also all placed the capstones on stellar years with two awards each.

BMI saluted the writers and publishers of the past year’s most performed songs on Christian radio and television during the annual Christian Music Awards tonight at the company’s Music Row offices in Nashville. BMI named versatile hit-maker Ed Cash the 2008 Christian Songwriter of the Year, while his composition “Made to Worship” garnered Song of the Year honors. BMI Vice President Jody Williams, along with Senior Director Thomas Cain and Associate Director Beth Mason, of BMI’s Writer/Publisher Relations department in Nashville, presented awards spanning five categories: Christian Rock, Contemporary Christian, Inspirational, Urban Gospel and Southern Gospel.

View Christian Music Awards Song List

Prior to the presentation of awards, perennial Christian music titans Jars of Clay, rising star Aaron Shust and fiery gospel artist Isaiah Thomas set the evening’s warm tone with soulful renditions of their award-winning songs.

The BMI Christian Awards' big winners huddled together for a photo. Pictured are (l to r): BMI’s Phil Graham, Publisher of the Year Universal Music Publishing’s Dale Matthews, Songwriter of the Year Ed Cash and BMI’s Jody Williams.

Prolific producer and songwriter Ed Cash earned the BMI Songwriter of the Year crown thanks to his profound compositions “Made to Worship,” “Holding onto You,” and “How Can I Keep from Singing.” The stirring “Made to Worship” also garnered the BMI Song of the Year crystal for Cash; recorded by contemporary Christian favorite Chris Tomlin, the song was published by Alletrop Music.

Perennial favorites Jars of Clay perform at the 2008 BMI Christian Awards.

The ceremony also feted Publisher of the Year Universal Music Publishing Group. The award is determined by the highest percentage of copyright ownership in award songs. The company’s eight award-winning songs include “The Blessing of Abraham,” written by esteemed producer and chorale director Donald Lawrence, “Dead Man (Carry Me),” co-written and recorded by Jars of Clay, “My Savior, My God,” written and recorded by Aaron Shust, and “Imagine Me,” co-penned and recorded by contemporary gospel trendsetter Kirk Franklin.

Big winner Ed Cash salutes his inspiration.

Gospel luminary Donald Lawrence and ceremony performer Aaron Shust garnered two awards each. The night’s other big winners included genre-bender tobyMac; Christian rock outfit Red’s Jasen Rauch and Anthony Armstong; urban gospel star Kirk Franklin; Red producer Robert Graves; Jars of Clay members Dan Haseltine, Charlie Lowell, Steve Mason and Matt Odmark; 2007 BMI Christian Songwriter of the Year Mark Hall; Sanctus Real producer Chris Stevens and Sanctus Real member Dan Gartley; premier producer, arranger and musician Jay Joyce; Kingdom Heirs member Dennis Murphy; producer, songwriter and music minister Isaiah D. Thomas; gospel heavyweight Rodney Griffin; Needtobreathe’s Bo Rinehart; singer/songwriter Aaron Sprinkle; songwriter/producer Marc Byrd; gospel favorite Percy James Bady; songwriters Adam Kohout, Tery Wilkins, David Nasser, Jules "Juda" Bartholomew, Twila LaBar, Joel Lindsey, Belinda Lee Smith, Lisa Stewart Seals; and the McClurkin Project’s Andrea McClurkin-Mellini and Nate McNair.

Isaiah D. Thomas brings the house down.

In addition to Universal Music Publishing Group, publishers winning multiple awards were Alletrop Music, EMI Christian Music Group (Meaux Mercy Publishing, River Oaks Music Company), Lilly Mack Music, Asheville Music Publishing, Chris White Music, Q W Publishing, Sony/ATV Songs LLC and White Spot Publishing.

Aaron Shust delivers a charged performance.

The Gospel Music Association recently announced finalists for the 39th annual Dove Awards, and BMI affiliates claimed a slew of the prestigious nominations. The GMA will present the awards Wednesday, April 23 in Nashville at the historic Grand Ole Opry House.

2007 BMI Christian Songwriter of the Year Mark Hall's individual nods including Song and Male Vocalist of the Year reiterate his devout creative and spiritual growth. The frontman for perennial favorites Casting Crowns, Hall also enjoys numerous nominations with the band, including Group, Artist, Pop/Contemporary Song and Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year.

Genre-bender tobyMac's mound of nominations accents his broad appeal, throughout the Christian music community and beyond it. Nods in Song, Male Vocalist, Artist and Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year categories display tobyMac's unique versatility.

Esteemed songwriter, vocalist and producer Israel Houghton claims distinguished nominations this year including Producer, Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song and Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year. Along with his formidable ensemble New Breed, Houghton consistently carries his vital message to eager ears across the United States.

Additional BMI artists counted among the distinguished finalists include contemporary gospel queens The Clark Sisters, gospel luminary Marvin Sapp, alt-rockers Skillet, producer extraordinaire Ed Cash, progressive rock band Red, contemporary Christian crusaders Leeland and gifted songwriter Thom Hardwell.

For a complete list of nominees, award ceremony information and more, please visit doveawards.com.

Pictured are (l to r): EMI CMG Publishing President Eddie DeGarmo, BMI's Beth Mason, tobyMac and BMI's Jody Williams.

The two-time BMI Christian Songwriter of the Year humbly thanked the many creative and business minds that contribute to his success daily, but he saved his biggest props for his wife, Amanda, proudly declaring, "She makes all of this possible."

Two more members of the EMI gang climbed onstage for a photo. Pictured are (l to r): EMI CMG Label Group President Peter York, tobyMac, BMI's Beth Mason and Jody Williams, and EMI Christian Music Group President & CEO Bill Hearn.

Photos courtesy of EMI

Steven Curtis Chapman	Jars of Clay

The 2003 BMI Christian Songwriter of the Year was recognized for his work on the Special Event Album of the Year, Music Inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, along with peers Jars of Clay, Rebecca St. James, Ed Cash, Dan Haseltine, Charlie Lowell, Steve Mason, Matt Odmark, Aaron Sprinkle, Toby McKeehan and Christopher Stevens.

Ed Cash	Aaron Sprinkle	Toby McKeehan

Versatile BMI songwriter and producer Ed Cash won big as well, adding yet another Producer of the Year honor to his credit, along with a nod to his role as writer on Song of the Year and Worship Song of the Year, "How Great is Our God."

Kirk Franklin	Casting Crowns

BMI's Christian rock artists celebrated another strong showing this year. Rockers Casting Crowns nabbed Group of the Year honors and Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year for Lifesong, while punk rock troupe Relient K snagged Rock Album of the Year for Mmhmm. "The Slam" by tobyMac, featuring producer Christopher Stevens, was named Rock Recorded Song of the Year.

Wayne Haun	Blind Boys of Alabama

Matt Kearney and Robert Marvin's tune, "Trainwreck," was dubbed Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year, while Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year went to producer Aaron Sprinkle for Behind the Music. Kirk Franklin dominated the urban categories, taking home honors for Urban Recorded Song of the Year ("Looking for You") and Urban Album of the Year (Hero).

Switchfoot

Alison Krauss & Union Station were honored along with producer Ronald Block for "Living Prayer," which was named Bluegrass Recorded Song of the Year. Carrie Underwood added to her swelling list of accolades as "Jesus, Take the Wheel" was deemed Country Recorded Song of the Year. Rounding out the country and bluegrass categories, The Lewis Family's collaboration with producer Wayne Haun, One Rose, nabbed Bluegrass Album of the Year.

Sixteen-year-old BMI artist Corey Brooks' album About You earned the young performer his first GMA nomination for Country Album of the Year. Brooks made the trip to Nashville all the way from West Virginia to attend the ceremony. Although he went home without an award, he left with something that may very well mean much more. "This was my first GMA Awards show and it amazed me how God is using everyone's unique talent as tools to glorify Him," Brooks mused. "I was so honored to be nominated with such phenomenal artists in the rising genre of Christian Country Music." 

Founded in 1964, the 4,500-member Gospel Music Association is dedicated to exposing, promoting and celebrating the gospel through music. The GMA represents all styles of gospel music including contemporary pop, rock, urban gospel, praise & worship, Southern gospel, country and children's gospel music. The GMA produces the GMA Music Awards, which recognize achievement in all genres of gospel music and are voted on by members of the GMA.

BMI's 2006 GMA Winners:

Song of the Year
"How Great is Our God"
Ed Cash/Alletrope Music

Group of the Year
Casting Crowns

Producer of the Year
Ed Cash

Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year
"Trainwreck"
Matt Kearney (artist and producer)
Robert Marvin (producer)

Rock Recorded Song of the Year
"The Slam"
tobyMac
Toby McKeehan and Christopher Stevens (producers)

Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year
"In Christ Alone"
Don Koch

Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year (tie)
"Long As I Got King Jesus"
Brian Free & Assurance
James Cleveland (producer)

"Through The Fire"
Crabb Family
Gerald Crabb (producer)

Bluegrass Recorded Song of the Year
"Living Prayer"
Alison Krauss & Union Station
Ronald Block (producer)

Country Recorded Song of the Year
"Jesus, Take the Wheel"
Carrie Underwood

Urban Recorded Song of the Year
"Looking for You"
Kirk Franklin (artist & producer)

Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
"God Blocked It"
Kurt Carr (artist & producer)

Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
"Not Forgotten"
Israel & New Breed
Israel Houghton and Aaron W. Lindsey (producers)

Worship Song of the Year
"How Great is Our God"
Ed Cash/Alletrope Music

Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year
Behind The Music
Aaron Sprinkle (producer)

Rock Album of the Year
Mmhmm
Reliant K
Matthew Tehissen (producer)

Pop /Contemporary Album of the Year
Lifesong
Casting Crowns

Inspirational Album of the Year (tie)
Rock of Ages...Hymns & Faith
Vince Gill

Southern Gospel Album of the Year
Live at Brooklyn Tabernacle
Crabb Family
Jason Crabb, Adam Crabb, Aaron Crabb, Kelly Bowling (producers)

Bluegrass Album of the Year
One Rose
Lewis Family
Wayne Haun (producer)

Urban Album of the Year
Hero
Kirk Franklin (artist & producer)

Traditional Gospel Album of the Year
Atom Bomb
Blind Boys of Alabama
John Chelew (producer)

Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year
Mary, Mary
Steve Huff (producer)

Special Event Album of the Year
Music Inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and
The Wardrobe
Steven Curtis Chapman, Jars of Clay, Rebecca St. James, Ed Cash, Steven
Curtis Chapman, Dan Haseltine, Charlie Lowell, Steve Mason, Matt Odmark,
Aaron Sprinkle, Toby McKeehan

Musical of the Year
Grace That Amazes
Lari Goss

Short Form Music Video of the Year
"Stars"
Switchfoot

Aaron Sprinkle	Relient K	Ed Cash

Singer/songwriter/producer Aaron Sprinkle was showered with the most praise, earning eight nominations for his work with artists in a variety of categories, including pop/contemporary, rap/hip-hop and worship. Three of his nominations are for CD compilations that will compete for Special Event Album of the Year, including Happy Christmas Volume Four, Music Inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and WoW Christmas Green.

Casting Crowns	Steven Curtis Chapman

Pop-punk outfit Relient K came in with six nods, earning two for "Be My Escape," two for their album Mmhmm, and two as contributing artists on a pair of Special Event Album nominees.

Earning five nominations apiece were Christian rock band Casting Crowns, who will vie for Group and Artist of the Year; alt-rock group Switchfoot, whose Nothing Is Sound is up for Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year; and 2005's Producer of the Year Ed Cash, who hopes for a repeat win in that category.

Crabb Family	Jars of Clay	Wayne Haun

Southern gospel veterans the Crabb Family also took home five GMA nominations, with individual family members Gerald, Jason, Adam and Aaron each earning their own multiple nods.

Casting Crowns' lead singer Mark Hall picked up a total of four solo mentions, including two Song of the Year nominations for the hits "Lifesong" and "Voice of Truth." Pop/rock quartet Jars of Clay, producer Wayne Haun and Relient K frontman Matthew Theissen rounded out the quadruple nominees list.

CeCe Winans	Toby McKeehan	Switchfoot

BMI award-winning artist/songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman, who has collected 49 Dove Awards to date -- more than any other artist in gospel music history -- has a chance to pass the 50-trophy mark this year if any of his three nominations results in win.

Also earning triple nominations were 13-time GMA Award winner Lari Goss, gospel producer Sanchez Harley and church group Israel & New Breed; leader Israel Houghton is up for five of his own GMAs.

Other BMI nominees included double earners Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Vince Gill, Grits, Kids In The Way, Dave Moody, tobyMac (Toby McKeehan) and CeCe Winans, as well as Yolanda Adams, Blind Boys of Alabama, Building 429, Fred Hammond, Rodney Jerkins, Lewis Family, Donnie McClurkin, Martha Munizzi, Dottie Peoples and George Teren, who is also up for a 2006 ACM Award.

Songwriter of the Year contenders will be revealed, along with the winner, at the 37th Annual GMA Music Awards ceremony, to be hosted by 2006 Dove nominees Rebecca St. James and Kirk Franklin. The recorded show will be televised in national syndication from April 15 to May 21.

Founded in 1964, the 4,500-member Gospel Music Association is dedicated to exposing, promoting and celebrating the gospel through music. The GMA represents all styles of gospel music including contemporary pop, rock, urban gospel, praise & worship, Southern gospel, country and children's gospel music. The GMA produces the GMA Music Awards, which recognize achievement in all genres of gospel music and are voted on by members of the GMA.

BMI's 2006 GMA Awards Nominees:

8 Nominations
Aaron Sprinkle

6 Nominations
Relient K

5 Nominations
Ed Cash
Casting Crowns
The Crabb Family
Israel Houghton
Aaron W. Lindsey
Otto Price
Switchfoot

4 Nominations
Mark Hall
Dan Haseltine
Wayne Haun
Jars of Clay
Charlie Lowell
Steve Mason
Matt Odmark
Matthew Theissen

3 Nominations
Steven Curtis Chapman
Jason Crabb
Lari Goss
Sanchez Harley
Israel & New Breed

2 Nominations
Alletrope Music
Kelly Bowling
Kurt Carr
Teron Carter
Club Zoo Music
Gerald Crabb
Adam Crabb
Aaron Crabb
Christopher Davis
Dizmas
Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
Jerome Fontamillas
Vince Gill
Percy Gray, Jr.
Grits
Stacy Jones
Mat Kearney
Kids In The Way
Ay'Ron Lewis
Dave Moody
NewSong
Ric Robbins
Rebecca St. James
SWECS Music
tobyMac (Toby McKeehan)
CeCe Winans

Other Nominees
Yolanda Adams
Duane Allen
Paul Allen
Rev. F.C. Barnes
Luther Barnes
Blind Boys of Alabama
Ronald Block
Kevin Bond
Paul Boutte
Damon Bracy
Brian Free & Assurance
Building 429
Kyle Bynoe
Marc Byrd
Champions for Christ Publishing
Dean Chance
John Chelew
Stan Dailey
Alvin Darling
Daywind Music Group
Hector Diaz
Chris Eaton
Kirk Franklin
Aaron Gillespie
Rob Graves
Kenny Greenberg
Greenberg Music
Fred Hammond
Tom Hemby
Rick Hendrix
George Huff
Steve Huff
Integrity's Praise! Music
Rodney Jerkins
Lee Jerkins
Fred Jerkins III
Don Koch
Jean-Luc Lajoie
Shawn Lane
Frank Lenz
Lewis Family
Robert Marvin
Donnie McClurkin
Annie McRae
McRaes
Nelson McSwain
Meaux Mercy
The Mighty Clouds of Joy
Buck Moore
Martha Munizzi
Michael Neale
Peach Hill Songs
Aaron Pearce
Dottie Peoples
Rizen
Roger Ryan
Carolyn Sanders
Belinda Smith
Sparrow Song
Spinning Audio Vortex
Ralph Stanley
Ralph Stanley II
Derrick Starks
Christopher Stevens
Marty Stuart
George Teren
Rev. Gerald Thompson
Anthony Vero
Reed Vertelney
Tommy Walker
Fred Washington
Mark Whitehead
BeBe Winans
Marcos Witt

Onstage at BMI Nashville are BMI's Paul Corbin, Dottie Peoples, Toby McKeehan and BMI's Joyce Rice. photo by Richard Crichton

Staged at the company’s Music Row offices, the event spotlighted the top songs in the Adult Contemporary, Christian Hit Radio, Inspirational, Rock, Southern Gospel and Urban Gospel categories. Special performances were given by Dottie Peoples, Mark Schultz, and the quartet CrossWay for the crowd of two hundred writers, artists, and executives.

Dottie Peoples, writer of song of the year

Toby McKeehan, songwriter of the year

Dottie Peoples earned the BMI Crystal for Most Performed Christian Song of the Year as writer and publisher of “Testify." Published through Dottie Peoples Publishing and International Atlanta Music Company, “Testify” was recorded by The Talley Trio for their Southern Gospel album Testament, as well as by Peoples for her album God Can and God Will.

With three award songs, Toby McKeehan led all 38 writers to repeat as BMI Christian Songwriter Of The Year (he shared the 2001 honor with Steven Curtis Chapman). McKeehan, who records for Forefront Records as tobyMac and with Michael Tait and Kevin Max as dc talk, was cited for writing “All You Got” (AC & CHR), “Extreme Days” (Rock) and “Say The Words” (CHR). “All You Got,” recorded by Tait, appeared on both Tait’s Empty album and dc talk’s Solo EP. “Say The Words” was recorded by dc talk on their Intermission album; “Extreme Days” is from tobyMac’s debut solo effort, Momentum.

Songwriters recognized with two Citations each were Chris Eaton [PRS] (“Adore” and “Lift Me Up”) and Dottie Peoples (“Show Up and Show Out” plus “Testify”).

Placing three songs each on the most performed list, Achtober Songs and EMI Christian Music Publishing (through its companies River Oaks Music Company and Sparrow Song) shared the title of BMI Christian Publisher of the Year. As owner of Achtober songs, Toby McKeehan collected a second crystal obelisk for publishing his BMI Award songs. Casey McGinty and Chad Segura accepted on behalf of EMI Christian Music Publishing; this is EMI’s second consecutive victory.

Additional multiple award publishers were Boisseau Music Publishing, Dayspring Music, Dottie Peoples Publishing, International Atlanta Music Company, Lilly Mack Music, S. G. O. Music Publishing, Ltd., and Sony/ATV Songs LLC.

BMI’s Citations of Achievement are given in recognition of popularity in the field of Christian music, as measured by feature broadcast performances on American radio and television. The 2002 Christian Music Awards eligibility period ran January 1, 2001 through December 31, 2001.