Christian music artists, fans and community members will return to Music City this fall to unite for the 46th Annual GMA Dove Awards show, “Better Together.”
“Since 1969, the GMA Dove Awards has honored the outstanding achievement and excellence of our music community,” GMA executive director Jackie Patillo said in a press release. “We hope to bring much more light to our mission with this year’s ‘Better Together’ theme as we focus on unity, diversity and creativity and come together during this exciting time in our industry.”
The awards show will be held under Lipscomb’s roof in Allen Arena for the third consecutive year on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
The Gospel Music Association now calls Lipscomb home after holding the awards show in Atlanta. Most may know Nashville as home of country music, but it is now a hub for the Christian music industry as well.
On Wednesday, Aug. 12, a press conference was held at which award nominations were announced and Mayor Karl Dean spoke about the importance of music in Nashville’s community.
“Not only do we get to celebrate the diversity of the music in Nashville, but we also get to celebrate the fact that hundreds of music fans will be traveling here in October and they will get to see our city firsthand,” Dean said.
“Music is one of the top econmic drivers we have. It is the city’s DNA and it is who we are.”
Dean described the music industry as Nashville’s “econmic engine,” with 215 million people listening to Christian and Gospel music each month, for example.
“Lipscomb, along with other campuses, is a huge part of the boom we’re seeing in Nashville,” Dean said.
It’s because of Lipscomb’s recent additions that Dean and Patillo said they think it is contributing to the city.
“We are very grateful for the vision of [Lipscomb President Randy Lowry] Lowry,” GMA executive director Patillo said. “Not only has he embraced the Gospel Music Association but he’s also started a Lipscomb College of Entertainment and the Arts.”
The College of Entertainment and the Arts is Lipscomb’s newest addition, with a contemporary music program launching this fall.
Students in the new program will now have the opportunity to get real-world experience just steps away from the classroom when the awards show rolls in this fall.
The Dove Awards will feature artists from every style of Christian and Gospel music. The nominees were determined by over 1,500 members.
The nominees in 12 categories were announced at the press conference. Below are the nominations for the top five categories:
Artist of the Year
for KING & COUNTRY
Francesca Battistelli
Kari Jobe
Lecrae
MercyMe
New Artist of the Year
About A Mile
Danny Gokey
I Am They
Lauren Daigle
NF
Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year
Chris Tomlin
for KING & COUNTRY
Hillsong UNITED
Lecrae
MercyMe
Southern Gospel Artist of the Year
Booth Brothers
Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
Gaither Vocal Band
Collingsworth Family
The Isaacs
Gospel Artist of the Year
Erica Campbell
Fred Hammond
Israel & New Breed
Jonathan McReynolds
Tamela Mann
Tasha Cobbs
“This turnout truly exemplifies that we’re better together and the Dove Award’s stage is one that surely exemplifies the fact that as a Christian in the gospel music community we can come together and show the strength of Jesus Christ,” Patillo said of those who gathered for the nominations announcement.
Photos by author