Doves Honor Unsung Heroes Along With Favorites
Toby tops and Casting can't be stopped, as the 39th Annual Dove Awards impress with classy live performances and poignant tributes.
by Andree Farias with Russ Breimeier | posted 4/24/2008
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As expected, repeat winners dominated most of the top categories for the 39th Annual GMA Dove Awards, which honors artists in Christian music. But the Gospel Music Association also remembered several previously unsung heroes during the ceremony, which was broadcasted live, in part, from the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.
Casting Crowns claimed three awards, while frontman Mark Hall took home four more of his own.
Casting Crowns enjoyed their fourth consecutive win as Group of the Year, and picked up two more awards for Best Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year (The Altar and the Door) and Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year ("East to West"). Because the latter category also recognizes the writer, frontman Mark Hall picked up two personalized Doves for "East to West," which was additionally named Song of the Year. Hall's participation on the multi-artist project Glory Revealed earned him two more individual awards for Special Event Album of the Year and Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year ("By His Wounds"), bringing his personal total to four.
"I'm a product of Christian music," said Hall as he mentioned a long list of respected winners from years past, including Third Day and Point of Grace. "Just to be [included] among all of them is kind of crazy."
It was a pair of three-peats for the Male and Female Vocalists of the Year, awarded to Chris Tomlin and Natalie Grant, respectively. "My microphone used to be my hairbrush," Grant said. "I pinch myself every day that I get to do what I love and get to sing about the God that I love."
The New Artist title went to Nashville native Brandon Heath, a singer/songwriter who now leads worship in Houston, Texas. Heath beat out some stiff competition from country bands 33Miles and Austins Bridge, American Idol finalist Mandisa, contemporary gospel singer DeWayne Woods, urban pop trio Group 1 Crew (which beat out the competition for Rap/Hip-hop album), and the band Rush of Fools, a perceived frontrunner because of the smash hit single "Undo."
The night's biggest trophy, Artist of the Year, went to tobyMac, who won the same award in 1996 as a member of dc Talk—his first win in the category as a solo artist after seven years. He also won artist and producer awards in Rock/Contemporary Album for Portable Sounds, plus one more for Short Form Music Video for "Boomin'."
TobyMac was awarded top honors as Artist of the Year—the first time he's won it since his days with dc Talk twelve years ago.
"I think my shoes are shining brighter than these joints," said tobyMac, pointing to his leopard-patterned Nikes while juggling his awards.
Many other veterans also earned recognition after years of creativity. One of the night's biggest surprises was Songwriter of the Year, which went to acclaimed singer/songwriter Cindy Morgan for "How You Live (Turn Up the Music)." The Point of Grace hit also earned a statuette for both group and songwriter as the Country Recorded Song.
"I wasn't going to cry, but I did cry," said an emotional Morgan, who dedicated the win to her father. The singer/songwriter got her start in the early '90s performing pop songs written by other people. Over the years, she became a respected songwriter in her own right, penning material for Michael English, Women of Faith, Mark Schultz, and David Phelps, among many others. "I never set out to be a singer," she said. "I just wanted to be a songwriter. I'm an introvert, so it's a much easier thing to do to sit behind the piano and write a song than be on stage."
Ian Eskelin, who has enjoyed some fame as a solo artist and the creative core of the band All Star United, was shocked to learn he was named Producer of the Year, presumably for his work with Stellar Kart and Krystal Meyers, among others. "Seriously, I don't know why I have this right now," Eskelin said, surprised that he won out over longtime favorite Ed Cash. He added that his creative work "is the gift that God has loaned me, and I just go for it every single day."
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