2007 BMI Christian Music Awards Honor the Genre’s Most Played Songs
Casting Crowns’ Mark Hall Takes Home Two of the Night’s Top Honors
BMI saluted the writers and publishers of the past year’s most performed songs on Christian radio and television during the BMI Christian Music Awards on April 21 at the company’s Music Row offices in Nashville. BMI named Casting Crowns’ “Voice of Truth” Song of the Year, while the group’s frontman Mark Hall earned the prestigious Songwriter of the Year title. 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 for 25 songs in five categories: Christian Rock, Contemporary Christian, Inspirational, Urban Gospel and Southern Gospel.
Gospel star Kirk Franklin, Christian rock outfit Sanctus Real and Casting Crowns’ Mark Hall delighted the packed room by delivered scorching performances of their award-winning songs.
Longtime Christian music pacesetters Steven Curtis Chapman and Mark Hall took home BMI Song of the Year crystals for “Voice of Truth.” Recorded the by Hall’s award-winning band Casting Crowns, “Voice of Truth” was published by Club Zoo Music, Inc., My Refuge Music, Peach Hill Songs, Sparrow Song and SWECS Music.
It was a good night for the lead singer of Casting Crowns, who also earned his second BMI Christian Songwriter of the Year honor. Mark Hall’s hits ““Lifesong,” “Praise You in This Storm” and “Voice of Truth,” all recorded by Casting Crowns, garnered three BMI Christian Awards in both the Contemporary and Inspirational categories.
The ceremony also feted Songs of Greater Vision as Publisher of the Year. The award is determined by the highest percentage of copyright ownership in award songs. The company’s two honored songs, “Do You Want To Be Forgiven” and “Don’t Let The Sandals Fool Ya,” secured individual BMI Christian Awards for writer Rodney Griffin.
Some of the night’s other big winners included 2007 Trailblazers of Gospel honoree Yolanda Adams; producer/songwriter Ed Cash; urban gospel star Kirk Franklin; producer, arranger and musician Jay Joyce; songwriter/producer Kenny Greenberg; Israel Houghton and Percy James Bady; songwriter Fred Douglas Washington, Jr.; the Crabb Family’s Gerald Crabb; songwriter/artist Aaron Shust; producer/songwriter/author Matt Bronleewe; and brothers Henry, JoJo and Ringo Garza. Songwriters Marcia Henry, George Jordan, Sandy Knight, Doug McKelvey and Kevin Keith Walker, along with Day of Fire’s Greg Hionis, songwriter/producers Ian Eskelin and Liz Hooper, Sanctus Real producer Chris Stevens and Sanctus Real member Dan Gartley, each took home their first BMI Christian Music Award.
Publishers winning multiple awards were BMG Music Group (Bridge Building Music/Careers-BMG Music Publishing/Zomba Songs), Club Zoo Music, Inc., My Refuge Music, SWECS Music, EMI Music Publishing (EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc./Sparrow Song) and Gotee Music, Inc.
Below is the complete list of 2007 BMI Christian Music Awards winners:
The Most Performed Songs on Christian Radio during 2006
CHRISTIAN ROCK
I’M NOT ALRIGHT
Dan Gartley
Doug McKelvey
Chris Stevens
Gotee Music, Inc.
Olde Irish Publishing
Regisfunk Music
Songs Only Dogs Can Hear
Sanctus Real
Sparrow Records
RAIN SONG
Greg Hionis
Bridge Building Music
Hionis Music
Day of Fire
Essential Records
THIS IS A CALL
Steve Augustine (SOCAN)
Joel Bruyere (SOCAN)
Aaron Sprinkle
Flush on the Flop Music
Spinning Audio Vortex, Inc.
Thousand Foot Krutch
Tooth & Nail Records
THE WAY TO BEGIN
Ian Ashley Eskelin
Liz Hooper
Bridge Building Music
Careers-BMG Music Publishing
San Grascola Songs
Starshaped Music
Krystal Meyers
Essential Records
WHO I AM HATES WHO I’VE BEEN
Matt Thiessen
Gotee Music, Inc.
Redcoats Are Coming Publishing
Relient K
Gotee Records
CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN
BRAVE
Jay Joyce
JoyJayce Music Publishing
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Nichole Nordeman
Sparrow Records
FRIEND OF GOD
Israel Houghton
Integrity’s Praise Music
Phillips, Craig and Dean
Integrity Incorporated
HEAVEN
Henry Garza
Jojo Garza
Ringo Garza
Either Or Music
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Garza Bros. Music
Salvador
Word Records
LIFESONG
Mark Hall
Club Zoo Music, Inc.
My Refuge Music
SWECS Music
Casting Crowns
Beach Street/Reunion Records
ONLY GRACE
Kenny Greenberg
Greenberg Music
Matthew West
Sparrow Records
INSPIRATIONAL
HEALING RAIN
Matt Bronleewe
Songs From The Farm Publishing
Songs of Windswept Pacific
Michael W. Smith
Reunion Records
HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD
Ed Cash
Alletrop Music
Chris Tomlin
Sparrow Records
MY SAVIOR, MY GOD
Aaron Shust
Bridge Building Music
White Spot Publishing
Aaron Shust
Brash Music
PRAISE YOU IN THIS STORM
Mark Hall
Club Zoo Music, Inc.
My Refuge Music
SWECS Music
Casting Crowns
Beach Street/Reunion Records
VOICE OF TRUTH
Steven Curtis Chapman
Mark Hall
Club Zoo Music, Inc.
My Refuge Music
Peach Hill Songs
Sparrow Song
SWECS Music
Casting Crowns
Beach Street/Reunion Records
SOUTHERN GOSPEL
DO YOU WANT TO BE FORGIVEN
Rodney Griffin
Songs of Greater Vision
Ernie Hasse & Signature Sound
Gaither Music Group
DON’T LET THE SANDALS FOOL YA
Rodney Griffin
Songs of Greater Vision
Triumphant Quartet
Daywind Records
IN THE TWINKLE OF AN EYE
Sandy Knight
Asheville Music Publishing
Sandy Knight Music
Sandy Knight
Cross Roads Records
NAIL IT TO THE CROSS
Marcia Henry
Centergy Music
The Whisnants
United Independent Artists
THE SHEPHERD’S CALL
Gerald Crabb
Christian Taylor Music
MPCA Lehsem Songs
Crabb Family
Daywind Records
URBAN GOSPEL
BE BLESSED
Yolanda Adams
Jam Yo Music
Yolanda Adams
Atlantic Records
I CALL YOU FAITHFUL
Kevin Keith Walker
Forest Avenue Music
Donnie McClurkin
Verity Records
I UNDERSTAND
Percy James Bady
Bad Bady Music
Smokie Norful
EMI Gospel
LOOKING FOR YOU
Kirk Franklin
Fred Douglas Washington, Jr.
Freddie Dee Music
Kerrion Publishing
Lilly Mack Music
Zomba Songs
Kirk Franklin
GospoCentric Records
WORK IT OUT
George Jordan
Christian Tabernacle Music, Inc.
Irving Music, Inc.
Dr. Charles G. Hayes and The Warriors
Icee Records
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