by Taylor McKnight | Oct 25, 2020 | Arts and Entertainment, News, News Slider
In a normal October, the red carpet would be rolling out and leading into Allen Arena for the Gospel Music Association’s Dove Awards. This is not a normal October. The 51st GMA Dove Awards will not be hosted at Lipscomb; in fact, there will be no venue hosting the Dove Awards, as the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the awards show to be completely virtual, with planners trying to package it differently than a typical awards show. The gospel awards show has taken place in Lipscomb’s Allen Arena for the past seven years, and the organizers hope to be able to come back to Allen Arena in 2021. Doves producer Justin Fratt said organizers wanted to take a different approach for this year’s awards to stand out from other virtual awards shows and to maintain the relevance and power of this event. “When planning, we were thinking about what would be different, but still very compelling,” said Fratt. “We didn’t want to do it like others — we’ve seen awards shows utilizing Zoom. This will be a musical feature that celebrates the music and the message.” The planning started in the spring, and the show was recorded in mid-September at TBN studios in Hendersonville. It took three weeks to record the show, said Fratt, adding there are performances and interviews with artists, who will share stories of faith and how gospel music has gotten them through these trying times. As far as the Dove Awards’ plans to return to Lipscomb next year: it looks like it’s a go. “As long as we can, we would love to gather again at...
by Mckenzi Harris | May 4, 2020 | Galleries, News, News Slider, Student Spotlight
Lipscomb’s 129th graduation ceremony looked quite different than was expected when the school year began in August. Allen Arena, which typically hosts the celebratory event, sat empty on Saturday when the COVID-19 outbreak forced the university to host its first virtual graduation. From the charge to the alma mater, Lipscomb faculty and students combined live and pre-recorded clips to create an all-new commencement ceremony experience. President Randy Lowry opened the commencement ceremony with a video pre-recorded in Allen Arena. “Well this isn’t exactly like I imagined it,” Lowry said. “Here I am standing in Allen Arena, and if this was a normal moment: Students you would be here with me. You would be dressed in caps and gowns, and there would be five thousand people surrounding us as this amazing moment took place. We would march in, we’d hear the bagpipes; the faculty would follow a little bit later. You’d be on the stage walking across, I’d shake your hand, and you would have your college degree, your graduate degree. You would have completed this moment, and the celebration would be wonderful. “The reality is we all know that this is a different time. And we’re giving up something:We’re giving our Allen Arena moment in order to protect others,” said Lowry. One of the many faculty members joining Lowry in conducting the online ceremony, Dean of Community Life Prentice Ashford gave out the Stephen Marsh Award. “Steve was a 1977 Lipscomb graduate and the son of one of our former board members, Lee Marsh,” said Ashford. “He was a Christian example in every aspect of his life as a...
by Spencer Boehme | Dec 8, 2019 | News Slider, Radio, Sports
Live radio coverage of Lipscomb basketball continues this week on the Bison. Fans of the Lipscomb men’s and women’s basketball teams can listen to Sunday’s and Wednesday’s games on The Bison. The games will be streamed live at thebisonradio.com and on the new iPhone app. The men’s team faces an old foe in Trevecca on Sunday at 4 p.m. CT. John Tomlinson will call play-by-play, while Spencer Boehme will handle color duties. The women’s team takes on crosstown rival Belmont on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. CT. Spencer Boehme will work play-by-play, while Micah Kennedy will serve as...
by Mckenzi Harris | Nov 6, 2019 | Galleries, News Slider, Sports
The 2019-2020 season is off to a hot start for the men’s basketball team, which defeated Rhodes College 104-55 Tuesday night. It is a new era for this team, now being led by Lennie Acuff, the 19th coach in program history. “I told the guys after the game that this is my 30th season as a head coach, but tonight was as nervous as I have ever been for an opening game,” Acuff said. “It’s a new place, and I wanted the team to play well.” “I thought we played really hard in the first half, we just didn’t play very well. But in the second half, I felt we slowed the game down a little bit and got in our lane. I am proud of the way the guys played.” Click to read the full story from Kailey Schyler....
by Erika Plunkett, Mckenzi Harris & Kathryn Farris | Oct 16, 2019 | BREAKING NEWS, Galleries, News Slider
The glitz and the glam of GMA’s Dove Awards made their return to the Lipscomb campus for the seventh consecutive year on Tuesday night. The 50th annual award show played host to some of the biggest names in Christian entertainment, all in the name of worship and praise. TobyMac and Ledger opened the show with“The Elements,” a snowy performance that kicked off a night of celebration filled with a half-century worth of performances and appearances from artists both new and legendary. Lauren Daigle leads the pack with six nominations and three wins The most highly nominated artist of the night, Lauren Daigle, took home the awards for artist of the year, song of the year and pop/contemporary album of the year. Daigle has skyrocketed as a crossover artist; her single “You Say” has dominated both Christian and All-Genre charts. “To say how is it feeling? I’m really genuinely pinching myself and I’m also just amazed that God’s doing this,” Daigle said after winning her big award. Gallery by Mckenzi Harris. Kirk Franklin uses Dove Awards platform to call attention to police brutality Singer Kirk Franklin took home the award for gospel artist of the year, but during his acceptance speech he” addressed a recent police brutality tragedy. “A young girl by the name of Atatiana Jefferson was shot and killed in her home by a policeman,” said Franklin. “I am just asking that we send up prayers for her family and for his and asking that we send up prayers for that 8-year-old little boy that saw that tragedy.” Video by Mckenzi Harris, Kathryn Farris and Erika Plunkett Dove...
