44th Annual Dove Award Nominees Announced

The 44th Annual Dove Award nominees were announced in a press conference this morning. Last year Jason Crabb walked away with two of the night's biggest awards. Here's a look at how Southern Gospel will be represented this year and my thoughts on the nominations and predictions.

Song of the Year

There are 21 songs nominated in this category... that's right 21. So instead of listing all of them, here are the Southern Gospel nominations.

• "From My Rags to His Riches" - Devin McGlamery with Dailey and Vincent
• "Greatly Blessed, Highly Favored" - Gaither Vocal Band
• "Hold On" - Canton Junction
• "I'm Learning" - Aaron and Amanda Crabb
• "Sometimes I Wonder" - Ernie Haase and Signature Sound
• "Take Him to the Place" - Aaron and Amanda Crabb
• "What the Blood Is For" - Jason Crabb
• "Why Can't We" - The Isaacs

A couple of surprises for me in this category, two nominations of Aaron and Amanda Crabb and Devin McGlamery's nomination, but both pleasant surprises! Also, there are a lot of Crabbs nominated in this category. Gerald Crabb is the writer of "Hold On" sung by Canton Junction with Aaron Crabb. So essentially Aaron Crabb is nominated three times in this category! I wonder if that has ever happened before, because that is pretty amazing! I'm a huge fan of "What the Blood Is For" personally, but if I had to make a guess I think this category will go to "10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)" outside the Southern Gospel realm.

Producer of the Year

• Ben Isaacs
• Ed Cash
• Jay DeMarcus
• Matt Bronleewe
• Wayne Haun

It's interesting to me that Wayne Haun, Ed Cash and Jay DeMarcus were all producers on Jason Crabb's latest project. Ben Isaacs has been doing incredible things lately as a producer, but I'm going to predict Wayne Haun on this one.

Southern Gospel Performance of the Year

• "Glorious Freedom" - Gaither Vocal Band
• "Sometimes I Wonder" - Ernie Haase and Signature Sound
• "Stubborn (Psalm 151)" - Michael English
• "What the Blood Is For" - Jason Crabb
• "Why Can't We" - The Isaacs

There is seriously not a weak song in this group. This is the hardest category for me to predict, to even take a good guess. I'm going out on a limb, but I can see Michael English picking up this award.

Inspirational Song of the Year

• "It Must Be You (Moses)" - Selah
• "Satisfied" - Jason Crabb
• "Take Him to the Place" - Aaron and Amanda Crabb
• "The Other Side" - No Other Name
• "When Love Whispers Your Name" - Beyond the Ashes

Great to see Beyond the Ashes nominated! They have one of my favorite albums this year I think this award will go to one of the Southern Gospel artists represented; however, I think it will probably be a Crabb. 

Southern Gospel Song of the Year

• "Glorious Freedom" - Gaither Vocal Band
• "Hold On" - Canton Junction
• "Sometimes I Wonder" - Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
• "Stubborn (Psalm 151)" - Michael English
• "What the Blood Is For" - Jason Crabb

This category is almost the same as performance, only one song is different. I need someone to explain the difference in song and performance of the year to me. Tried to find it on the Dove Awards site, but couldn't find an explanation. Again, it's hard to pick from these songs. I went with Michael English on the first one, but I absolutely love "What the Blood Is For" so I might have to go with that song on this one.

Bluegrass Song of the Year

• "Come to Jesus" - Gaither Vocal Band
• "He Washed My Soul" - The Little Roy and Lizzy Show
• "Living in the Kingdom of God" - Dailey and Vincent
• "Peace That Covers All the Pain" - Dailey and Vincent
• "Standing in the Need of Prayer" - Oak Ridge Boys

I really love the Gaither Vocal Band's "Come to Jesus," but I think this award will go home with Dailey and Vincent.

Country Song of the Year

• "From My Rags to His Riches" - Devin McGlamery
• "God's Up to Something" - Jason Crabb
• "I Get To" - Oak Ridge Boys
• "I'm Learning" - Aaron and Amanda Crabb
• "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" - Guy Penrod

I'm surprised not to see a Jeff and Sheri Easter song in this one, especially since they are nominated for Country Album. I think the Oaks will get this one.

Inspirational Album of the Year

• Classic - David Phelps
• Hear My Prayer: 14 Devotional Hymns of Prayer - Christopher Phillips and Jaimee Paul
• Hymns for the Christian Life - Keith and Kristyn Getty
• Light for the Lost Boy - Andrew Peterson
• Love Is Stronger - Jason Crabb

I have to go with Jason Crabb on this one hands down. 

Southern Gospel Album of the Year

• Tribute to Songs of Bill and Gloria Gaither - Booth Brothers
• Canton Junction - Canton Junction
• Glorious Day - Ernie Haase and Signature Sound
• Pure and Simple - Gaither Vocal Band
• Some People Change - Michael English

This a a really tough category. I think it's interesting that there are only males in the category, no mixed group nomination. I think the Perrys had one of the strongest albums last year, so disappointed not to see them represented here. I predict either GVB or Signature Sound brings this one home.

Bluegrass Album of the Year

• Deep Roots - Steven Curtis Chapman
• Lord in the Morning - The Little Roy & Lizzy Show
• Sing Me a Song About Jesus - Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
• The Gospel Side of Dailey & Vincent - Dailey & Vincent
• This Is My Crowd - Marksmen Quartet

Honestly, I don't know much about all these albums, but if I had to make a guess I would probably go with Dailey & Vincent.

Country Album of the Year

• A Thousand Little Things - Point of Grace
• Back Home Again - Oak Ridge Boys
• Eyes Wide Open - Jeff & Sheri Easter
• Hymns - Guy Penrod
• Mercy - Aaron & Amanda Crabb

Love that Jeff & Sheri Easter are nominated in this category! With all the different songs Aaron & Amanda Crabb have nominated I wouldn't be surprised to see them get a win here. I'm also a big Point of Grace fan, and I could see them picking up the win as well.

Gerald Wolfe earned a nomination for Instrumental Album of the Year for 100 Piano Hymns. The Collingsworth Family was nominated for Christmas Album of the Year for Feels Like Christmas. Each of these was the only Southern Gospel artist in the category.

I was surprised not to see a nomination in a video category for Gaither's Pure and Simple. I was also disappointed to not see Southern Gospel represented in Artist of the Year.

Any thoughts from you on nominations? Surprises? Predictions?