|PIC1|NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE- GMA Music Week wrapped up yesterday with an unforgettable night at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, where the 37th GMA Music Awards was held.

As gospel music's biggest night of the year, the GMA Music Awards presented top artists from every style of gospel music come together for a night of music and celebration as the GMA bestows gospel music's highest honor – the Dove Award. Hosted by Rebecca St. James and Kirk Franklin, the awards show will air in national syndication April 15 to May 21, 2006.

Artist/songwriter Chris Tomlin was named the 2006 Dove Award Artist of the Year, while earning
four other Doves. Tomlin was one of 37 different artists who won Dove Awards, including Steven Curtis Chapman, who received his 50th trophy. Tomlin’s co-writer and producer Ed Cash was one of the evening’s other big winners, earning four Doves including Producer of the Year. David Crowder Band and lead member David Crowder were three-time winners along with their producer Tedd T.

"There were many spirit-filled and joyful moments during this year's GMA Music Awards, and it is always great to see new faces emerge alongside already established artists, linking the past to the present and offering a glimpse into the future of gospel music," said John Styll, president of the Gospel Music Association (GMA) and executive producer of the GMA Music Awards. "Nowhere was that more apparent than in the poignant symbolism of Chris Tomlin's arriving into the spotlight as this year's most honored artist in gospel music on the same night that Steven Curtis Chapman reached the newer artists as he did when he invited Chris to tour with him last year. The storyline of these two artists has now been forever connected by their achievements tonight."

In the "overall" categories, Dove Awards were presented:

Artist of the Year – Chris Tomlin
Male Vocalist of the Year – Chris Tomlin
Female Vocalist of the Year – Natalie Grant
Group of the Year – Casting Crowns
Songwriter of the Year – Christa Wells
Song of the Year – “How Great is Our God” (Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Ed Cash)
New Artist of the Year – The Afters

|PIC2|One of the evening's highlights was a surprise performance honoring Chapman for his 50th Dove Award, which he accepted for Special Event Album of the Year on behalf of all the artists on the Chronicles of Narnia project. Gospel music legends Andraé Crouch, Michael Sweet and Bryan Duncan provided testimonies to Chapman while young artists Jeremy Camp, Crowder, Casting Crowns' Mark Hall and Third Day's Mac Powell performed an acoustic set of classic Chapman Dove-winning music.

Tomlin's five Dove Awards include Artist and Male Vocalist of the Year. “How Great is Our God,” a song he wrote from his RIAA Gold-certified CD Arriving, won in both the Song of the Year and Worship Song categories, awards that also went to his co-writers Jesse Reeves and Ed Cash. Tomlin's fifth Dove Award was for his collaboration on the Special Event Album of the Year Music Inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

The Awards night closed with a heart-moving performance of "How Great is Our God" led by Tomlin.

Awards were handed out in 42 categories. Dove Awards go to recordings released during the eligibility year of November 1, 2004 through October 31, 2005 and voted on by the members of the GMA.

For a full list of winners at the 37th GMA Music Awards, click here.

GMA Music Week was held from April 1, at the Nashville Convention Centre in Tennessee. As the largest Christian music event, over 3000 attended the GMA Gospel Music Week, with the purpose to gain professional development and growth through various seminars, educational tracks, and exposure to more than 100 showcases and concerts by renowned Christian music artists. New programmes such as the Indie Impact and Urban Music Connection were presented at the event.

Founded in 1964, the 4,000-member Gospel Music Association (www.gospelmusic.org) is dedicated to exposing, promoting and celebrating the gospel through music. The GMA represents all styles of gospel music including contemporary pop, rock, urban gospel, praise & worship, Southern gospel, country and children’s gospel music. The GMA produces the GMA Music Awards, which recognises achievement in all genres of gospel music and are voted on by members of the GMA.



[Editor's Note: Courtney Lee reported from Nashville, Tennessee, USA for this article]