Southern Gospel Showing at 50th Annual GMA Dove Awards

Nashville, TN — On October 15, 2019, the Gospel Music Association marked the 50th anniversary of the Dove Awards during a three-hour ceremony at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

The evening was a celebration of Christian and Gospel music across multiple genres, with powerful performances, moving tributes, award presentations, and retrospectives from the past five decades.

It was only fitting that legendary singer/songwriter Bill Gaither should make an appearance, as he is credited for originally conceptualizing the Dove Awards during a GMA board meeting in 1968. Gaither won the award for Songwriter of the Year at the very first Dove Awards ceremony in 1969, and this year, 50 years later, the Gaither Vocal Band accepted the award for Southern Gospel Artist of the Year. The 83-year-old performed “He Touched Me” and “Because He Lives” with the GVB, joined by Mark Lowry, David Phelps, Michael English, Bart Millard, Matt Maher, and Russ Taff.

Other Southern Gospel performers during this year’s ceremony were Karen Peck & New River, Joseph Habedank, and Triumphant Quartet. The members of Triumphant Quartet were excited to take home their very first Dove Award, Southern Gospel Album of the Year, for Yes, produced by Gordon Mote and Wayne Haun. Here they are backstage, just after winning the award:

Singing News Radio program Front Porch Fellowship, hosted by Joe Mullins (of Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers) and produced by his son, Daniel Mullins, was honored to win the Radio Impact Award for Southern Gospel.

Following is a list of those in the Southern Gospel industry who won awards this year. For a complete list of 2019 categories and winners, click here.

Southern Gospel Artist of the Year:
Gaither Vocal Band; (label) Gaither Music Group

Southern Gospel Album of the Year:
Yes – Triumphant Quartet; (producers) Gordon Mote, Wayne Haun

Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year:
“I Know I’ll Be There” – Karen Peck & New River; (writers) Dave Clark, Karen Peck Gooch, Wayne Haun

Inspirational Album of the Year:
The North Coast Sessions – Keith & Kristyn Getty; (producers) Fionán de Barra, Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty

Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year:
“When The Healing Comes” – TaRanda, (writers) Geron Davis, Joel Lindsey, TaRanda Beene, Wayne Haun

Musical of the Year:
Welcome to Bethlehem – (creators) Joel Lindsey, Jeff Bumgardner, Heidi Petak, (arranger & orchestrator) Daniel Semsen

Radio Impact Award for Southern Gospel:
Front Porch Fellowship on Singing News Radio – (host) Joe Mullins, (producer) Daniel Mullins