MOBILE, AL. (Integrity Label Group PR) - Integrity Label Group artists and projects picked up a total of 21 Dove Award nominations when the Gospel
Music Association announced the nominees for the 36th Annual GMA
Music Awards this week. The nominations were announced at the Renaissance Hotel in Nashville with Integrity Gospel's
Israel Houghton sharing hosting duties for the press conference with American Idol alumnus
George Huff and Curb Records'
Natalie Grant.
Israel Houghton, Israel & New Breed, Michael Gungor, Lisa McClendon, Joe Pace, Stephen Hurd, BeBe Winans and Raymond & Co., as well as The Passion of the Christ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Shout Praises! Kids 4 were the Integrity Music or Integrity Gospel artists and projects that will be up for Doves when they are handed out on Wednesday, April 13th in Nashville.
Israel Houghton emerged as one of this year's leading Dove nominees with five individual nominations and an additional two nods as a part of Israel & New Breed. Houghton earned recognition as a nominee for Male Vocalist of the Year and Producer of the Year. Israel & New Breed were honored with nominations for Contemporary Gospel Album for Live From Another Level and Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song for 'Again I Say Rejoice' from that album. Houghton added two nominations as producer of the nominated album and songwriter of the nominated song. Finally, 'A Friend of God' earned Houghton his fifth nominations for the coveted Song of the Year Award. He shares a nomination in that category with Integrity label mate and co-writer Michael Gungor. It's been a giant year for Houghton, Israel & New Breed and the Live From Another Level album. The Dove nominations are the latest in a growing list of honors, which so far have included two Stellar Awards for Male Vocalist of the Year and CD of the Year. Live From Another Level is up for a GRAMMY Award in the category of "Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album.'
The GRAMMYs will be handed out this Sunday, Feb. 13 in Los Angeles. And, last week, The Soul Train Music Awards, announced Live From Another Level as a nominee in the gospel album category. Those awards will be presented during a ceremony Feb. 28 in Hollywood. In the Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song category, Integrity artists counted for three of the nominated songs. In addition to Israel & New Breed's 'Again I Say Rejoice,' Stephen Hurd's recording of 'Undignified' on his A Call to Worship album, was nominated. BeBe Winans, who will be releasing Dream, (Feb. 22), his first record with Integrity Gospel/Sony Music through Hidden Beach Recordings' Still Waters and The Movement Group, earned nominations as both the artist and co-songwriter for 'Miracle of Love,' his contribution to The Passion of the Christ Songs. The Passion of the Christ Songs album earned Winans a third nomination for being featured on the Special Event Album nominee.
In other song categories, Lisa McClendon was nominated as artist and co-songwriter for 'Hey Now,' for Urban Recorded Song of the Year from her album Soul Music. Joe Pace grabbed two nominations as well, for Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year for 'We've Come To Praise Him,' from Joe Pace Presents - Sunday Morning Service. Pace both wrote and recorded the nominated song.
Pace earned a third and fourth nomination as artist and producer for Traditional Gospel Album of the Year for Joe Pace Presents – Sunday Morning Service. In the Urban Album category, Raymond & Co. received a nod for Playing Games. Finally, the John Debney composed The Passion of the Christ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, which was the gospel music industry's 5th best-selling record in 2004, will contend in the Instrumental Album category and Shout Praises! Kids 4, produced by Jeff Sandstrom, was honored in the Children's Music Album category. Dove Awards will be handed out in 44 categories.
Nominations go to recordings released during the eligibility year November 1, 2003 through October 31, 2004 and are voted on by the members of the Gospel Music Association. In categories where nominations go to the artist and songwriter and/or producer, the artist may receive two nominations for that category if they are the artist and songwriter and/or producer for that category.
About Integrity Music: Integrity Music Group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Integrity Media, Inc., a media/communications company that produces, publishes and distributes Christian music, books, films and related products.
Integrity's products are sold primarily through retail stores and direct to consumers throughout the United States and in 168 other countries. Integrity is headquartered in Mobile, Alabama. Information about Integrity is available at www.integritymedia.com.
