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MercyMe, Jeremy Camp big winners at 2004 GMA Awards


NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–A new wave of artists took home top honors at the 35th annual GMA Music Awards in Nashville, Tenn., April 28, as MercyMe, Jeremy Camp, Stacie Orrico and Switchfoot moved into spots frequently filled by Michael W. Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman and Third Day.

MercyMe won Group of the Year and Artist of the Year, and their hit “Word of God Speak” was named Song of the Year and Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year. Upon accepting the Group of the Year award, lead singer Bart Millard said, “The good news is none of this overshadows what Christ has done for us.”

And accepting the Artist of the Year award, Millard told the audience, “People always ask us why we signed up for Christian music. We do this not because someone got to us at an early age but because Jesus is the only thing that has ever changed our lives.”

Camp, whose song “I Still Believe” has been a radio favorite and was nominated for a Dove in its category, won for New Artist of the Year but then surprised the crowd by also being named Male Vocalist of the Year.

“I really did not expect it, especially the last one,” he told the media backstage. “It’s such a blessing to see what God’s done in my life, how He’s restored my life and brought me to this point.”

Orrico won a Dove for Female Artist of the Year against such competition as Nichole Nordeman, Rebecca St. James, Joy Williams and CeCe Winans. Orrico also won Pop/Contemporary Album for her self-titled sophomore project and Short Form Video of the Year for her crossover hit “(There’s Gotta Be) More to Life.”

Switchfoot won Rock Recorded Song of the Year for “Ammunition” and Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song for “Meant to Live.” The group also won Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year for “The Beautiful Letdown.” The band’s lead singer won three individual honors: two in the recorded song categories for songwriting credits and one for a producer’s credit.

The awards show, held in Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium before a sold-out crowd, opened with an act from “!Hero The Rock Opera,” a portrayal of a modern-day Jesus starring Michael Tait of dc Talk, Mark Stuart of Audio Adrenaline and Rebecca St. James, among others.

Hosted by Deion Sanders and Yolanda Adams, the GMA Awards featured presenters such as Stephen Baldwin, Tennessee Titans player Derrick Mason, 13-year-old shark attack victim Bethany Hamilton and former TV talent search competitors Kristy Starling, R.J. Helton and LaShell Griffin.

“The GMA Music Awards does what no other awards show does; it celebrates a tapestry of artists and music that share one common thread … hope,” John W. Styll, president of the Gospel Music Association and executive producer of the awards show, said. “Whether it’s rock or urban, country or traditional gospel, the music we saw showcased by artist performances and honored with Dove Awards tonight is as inspiring as it is entertaining.”

The show will be broadcast on the UPN network May 28 at 8 p.m. Eastern.

Following is a complete list of Dove Award winners:

— Song of the Year: Word of God Speak; Pete Kipley, Bart Millard; Wordspring Music/Songs from the Indigo Room (SESAC), Simpleville Music (ASCAP)

— Songwriter of the Year: Mark Hall of Casting Crowns

— Male Vocalist of the Year: Jeremy Camp

— Female Vocalist of the Year: Stacie Orrico

— Group of the Year: MercyMe

— Artist of the Year: MercyMe

— New Artist of the Year: Jeremy Camp

— Producer of the Year: Brown Bannister

— Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year: Believe; The Art of Translation; Grits, Jennifer Knapp; Teron Carter, Stacy Jones, Kene Bell, Otto Price; Gotee Records

— Modern Rock Recorded Song of the Year: Breaking Me Down; So Much for Substitutes; downhere; Marc Martel, Jason Germain, Glen Lavender; Word Records

— Rock Recorded Song of the Year: Ammunition; The Beautiful Letdown; Switchfoot; Jonathan Foreman; Sparrow Records

— Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year: Meant to Live; The Beautiful Letdown; Switchfoot; Jonathan Foreman, Tim Foreman; Sparrow Records

— Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year: Word of God Speak; Spoken For; MercyMe; Bart Millard, Pete Kipley; INO

— Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year: Everything To Me; Testify To Love: The Very Best of Avalon; Avalon; Chad Cates, Sue Smith; Sparrow Records

— Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year (Tie): The Cross; The Walk; The Crabb Family; Gerald Crabb; Daywind Music Group and The Promise; Above It All; The Martins; Brian White, Don Poythress; Spring Hill Music

— Bluegrass Recorded Song of the Year: So Many Years, So Many Blessings; 50th Anniversary; The Lewis Family; Wayne Haun, Cindi Ballard, Belinda Smith; Thoroughbred Records

— Country Recorded Song of the Year: Three Wooden Crosses; Rise and Shine; Randy Travis; Doug Johnson, Kim Williams; Word Records

— Urban Recorded Song of the Year: Dance, Dance, Dance; Gotta Have Gospel; Mary Mary, Erica Atkins-Campbell, Trecina Atkins-Campbell, Warryn Campbell; Integrity Gospel

— Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year: Poor Man Lazarus; In Bright Mansions; Fisk Jubilee Singers; Jester Hairston; Curb Records

— Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year: Hallelujah Praise; Throne Room; CeCe Winans; CeCe Winans, Cedric Caldwell, Victor Caldwell; Pure Springs Gospel

— Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year: It’s Pronounced Five Two; KJ-52; Todd Collins; Uprok Records

— Modern Rock Album of the Year: Two Lefts Don’t Make a Right … But Three Do; Relient K; Mark Lee Townsend; Matthew Thiessen; Gotee Records

— Rock Album of the Year: Lose This Life; Tait; Mark Heimermann, Michael Tait, Matt Bronleewe, Chad Chapin; ForeFront Records

— Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year: The Beautiful Letdown; Switchfoot; John Fields, Chad Butler, Jerome Fontamillas; Jonathan Foreman, Tim Foreman; Sparrow Records

— Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year: Stacie Orrico; Stacie Orrico; Dallas Austin, Tedd T., Anthony Dent, Harvey Mason Jr., Damon Thomas, Matt Serletic, Sean Hosein, Dane DeViller, Matt Rollings, Mookie; ForeFront Records

— Inspirational Album of the Year: Above It All; The Martins; Phil Naish; Spring Hill Music

— Southern Gospel Album of the Year: The Walk; The Crabb Family; Jason Crabb, Adam Crabb, Aaron Crabb; Daywind Music Group

— Bluegrass Album of the Year: Wondrous Love; Blue Highway; Alan O’Bryant; Rounder

— Country Album of the Year: Worship and Faith; Randy Travis; Kyle Lehning; Word Records

— Urban Album of the Year: Unclassified; Robert Randolph & The Family Band; Robert Randolph, Danyel Morgan, Marcus Randolph, John Ginty, Jim Scott; Warner Brothers

— Traditional Gospel Album of the Year: CeCe Winans Presents…The Born Again Church Choir; The Born Again Church Choir; Cedric & Victor Caldwell; Pure Springs Gospel

— Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year: Limited Edition; Smokie Norful; Smokie Norful, Myron Butler; EMI Gospel

— Praise & Worship Album of the Year: Offerings II — All I Have to Give; Third Day; Tai Anderson, Brad Avery, David Carr, Mark Lee, Mac Powell, Monroe Jones; Essential Records

— Instrumental Album of the Year: An Acoustic Christmas; Tom Hemby; Tom Hemby; Integrity Music

— Children’s Music Album of the Year: Shout Praises Kids 3; Jeff Sandstrom; Integrity Music

— Spanish Language Album of the Year: Con Poder; Salvador; Carlos Sosa; Word Records

— Special Event Album of the Year: !Hero The Rock Opera; Michael Tait, Mark Stuart, Rebecca St. James, T-Bone, Pete Stewart, Grits, John Cooper, Bob Farrell, Matt Hamnitt, Nirva, Paul Wright, Quinlan, Donnie Lewis; Pete Stewart, Eddie DeGarmo, Meaux Records

— Musical of the Year: The Wonderful Cross; David Guthrie, Dave Williamson; Word Music

— Youth/Children’s Musical of the Year: Noelle, The First; Annette Oden, Dave Noel; Integrity Music

— Choral Collection of the Year: High Praises; Phil Barfoot, Lari Goss; Word Music

— Worship Song of the Year: Here I Am to Worship; Tim Hughes; Kingsway’s Thankyou Music

— Recorded Music Packaging of the Year: !Hero The Rock Opera; Bethany Newman; Bethany Newman; Todd & Jess Ericson, Kenda Benward, Elton Sawyer; Meaux Records

— Short Form Music Video of the Year: (There’s Gotta Be) More To Life; Stacie Orrico; Dave Meyers; Joseph Sassone; Radical Media; ForeFront Records

— Long Form Music Video of the Year: Third Day Live In Concert, The Come Together Tour; Third Day; Carl Diebold; Michael Sacci, Ken Conrad, Brian Mitchell, Terria Saunders, Paul Kerby; Jupiter Project; Essential Records
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(BP) photos posted in the BP Photo Library at http://www.bpnews.net. Photo titles: MERCYME UNASHAMED, NEWCOMER SURPRISE, COUNTRY AMONG THEM and HONOR FOR BRAVERY.

    About the Author

  • Erin Curry