Lipscomb students and gospel music fans alike were tuned in during the first week of classes when the nominations for the Dove Awards were announced in the Hall of Fame room at Allen Arena.
Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman led the way in nominations with eight each. Tomlin will be going up against Francesca Battistelli, Lecrae, Tamela Mann and TobyMac for Artist of the Year.
The nominations came as no surprise to Kelsey Turner, a junior business major from Smyrna.
“When I looked at the nominations online, I wasn’t surprised with one nominee because I thought they all fit perfectly,” Turner said.
Lumination Co-Managing Editor Brianne Welch personally knows Dove nominee Cliff Duren.
“He was the assistant music director at my home church in Georgia and moved to Nashville to further his music career,” Welch said.
Duren received a Choral Collection of the Year nod for Carry Your Name.
“I am really happy for him.” Welch said. “I feel like I know somebody famous.”
Some students were excited to see the nominees because they set the stage for the actual awards show, which is set to take place on Oct. 15 in Allen Arena.
“I really like the lineup and am excited to see what each artist brings to the stage,” said Emily Townsend, a junior children’s ministry major from Chattanooga.
“After the nominations, I realized that there is so much talent within the Christian genre,” Townsend said. “It’s a growing industry.”
A couple of classes in the Communication department got the chance to cover the press conference for the nominations. The Practicum in Public Relations was one of those classes.
“I got to see the behind the scenes action to the nomination show with my Practicum class, and I know that was just a warm up for what I will see the actual night of the awards show,” said Teresa Piquette, a senior public relations major from California. “I want to work in the music industry, so I am excited to be exposed to the Dove Awards.
“It’s like the CMA’s of gospel music.”