When Doves Fly: 36th Annual GMA Music Awards

San Diego alt rockers Switchfoot and Kentucky’s southern gospel Crabb Family presented a healthy picture of gospel music’s youth and diversity as the two groups emerged among the most honored artists at the 36th Annual GMA Music Awards, presented last night at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. Joining them in receiving multiple Dove Awards were pop band Casting Crowns, gospel worship artist Israel & New Breed and singer/songwriters Jeremy Camp and Nicole C. Mullen.

“I love the fact that Switchfoot and The Crabb Family share top Dove Award honors this year because it powerfully reveals the variety of cultural expressions of the Gospel through music,” said John W. Styll, president of the Gospel Music Association (GMA) and executive producer of the 36th Annual GMA Music Awards. “These two groups could not be more different culturally and musically and yet, the message of the Gospel is evident in both of them. Casting Crowns, Jeremy Camp, Nicole C. Mullen and Israel & New Breed share with Switchfoot and The Crabb Family the unique ability to create music that reaches across cultural, religious and generational divides to encourage the gospel music faithful and inspire a newer generation of music fans.”

Switchfoot earned a total of four Dove Awards along with one additional Dove for lead songwriter Jonathan Foreman. The band’s breakthrough hit “Dare You to Move,” was honored for Rock/Contemporary Song of the Year. The video for “Dare You to Move” was named Short Form Music Video of the Year, while the concert DVD Switchfoot Live In San Diego earned the band a statuette for Long Form Music Video.

The Crabb Family’s CD Driven produced Dove Awards for Southern Gospel Recorded Song for “He Came Looking for Me,” Country Recorded Song for “Forever,” and Traditional Gospel Recorded Song for “Through the Fire,” a song which also features black gospel artist Donnie McClurkin. Gerald Crabb, patriarch of the family, received Dove Awards as the songwriter for all three of his children’s honored songs with oldest son Jason also earning one as co-writer of “Forever.”

After debuting just over a year ago, Casting Crowns was honored as Group of the Year, Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song for “Who Am I” and Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year for “Voice of Truth.” Lead singer/songwriter Mark Hall, a former youth pastor, received individual recognition for his songwriting. Hall was named the Songwriter of the Year and he earned the Song of the Year Dove Award for “Who Am I.”

The show featured performances by Casting Crowns, The Crabb Family, Kierra “Kiki” Sheard, Selah, J Moss, BarlowGirl, Bethany Dillon, Natalie Grant, Watermark, Chris Tomlin, David Crowder Band, Matt Redman, Tonéx, Skillet and Denver & The Mile High Orchestra.

The 36th Annual GMA Music Awards will be televised in national syndication during the month of June.

In the overall categories, Dove Awards were presented to:

Artist of the Year – Switchfoot

Male Vocalist of the Year – Jeremy Camp

Female Vocalist of the Year – Nicole C. Mullen

Group of the Year – Casting Crowns

Songwriter of the Year – Mark Hall

Song of the Year – “Who Am I” written by Mark Hall

New Artist of the Year – Building 429

All winners can be found here.