Chapman Earns Top Honors at Dove Awards

Steven Curtis Chapman won Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year during Thursday’s 40th Annual Gospel Music Association (GMA) Dove Awards, capping an emotional year for the most decorated singer and songwriter in Christian music.

Chapman, who was named Artist of the Year for the seventh time, has collected five GRAMMY Awards and 56 Doves in his two-decade career. His 5-year-old daughter, Maria Sue, was killed last May when she was accidentally hit by a vehicle driven by her older brother in the driveway of the family’s home in Nashville.

Chapman performed the song “Cinderella” from his 2007 release This Moment in one of the Dove Awards’ most emotional moments, The (Nashville) Tennessean reported. “I know the reason why I think we’re standing here is not something we ever would have signed up for,” said Chapman with wife, Mary Beth, by his side. “Our hope is not in this life. … If we can say anything as a family, a broken family having lost our little girl, it’s to let this hope make us so bold.”

Natalie Grant was awarded Female Vocalist of the Year for the fourth year in a row. Brandon Heath, who was New Artist of the Year in 2008, nabbed Male Vocalist of the Year and Song of the Year for “Give Me Your Eyes.” Casting Crowns won three awards — including the band’s fifth consecutive Group of the Year honor — while Tenth Avenue North was named New Artist of the Year.

Closing out GMA Music Week, the awards were held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville and televised live on the Gospel Music Channel.

Below is a complete list of winners, with details of their latest releases.

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Steven Curtis Chapman

Latest release: This Moment: Cinderella Edition (Sparrow Records)

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Tenth Avenue North

Over and Underneath (Reunion Records)

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

Steven Curtis Chapman

SONG OF THE YEAR

“Give Me Your Eyes”: Brandon Heath and Jason Ingram

What If We (Reunion Records)

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Brandon Heath

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Natalie Grant

Relentless (Curb Records)

GROUP OF THE YEAR

Casting Crowns

Peace on Earth(Reunion Records)

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

Bernie Herms

RAP/HIP HOP RECORDED SONG

“Do Yo Thang”: KJ-52

The Yearbook (BEC Recordings)

ROCK RECORDED SONG

“Lost”: Red

End of Silence (Essential Records)

ROCK/CONTEMPORARY RECORDED SONG

“Washed by the Water”: Needtobreathe

The Heat (Atlantic Records)

POP/CONTEMPORARY RECORDED SONG

“Give Me Your Eyes”: Brandon Heath

INSPIRATIONAL RECORDED SONG

“A New Hallelujah”: Michael W. Smith

A New Hallelujah (Reunion Records)

SOUTHERN GOSPEL RECORDED SONG

“Reason Enough”: Ernie Haase & Signature Sound

Dream On (Gaither Music Group)

BLUEGRASS RECORDED SONG

“They’re Holding Up the Ladder”: Jeff & Sheri Easter

We Are Family (Daywind Records)

COUNTRY RECORDED SONG

“I Wish”: Point of Grace

How You Live: Deluxe Edition (Word Records)

URBAN RECORDED SONG

“Get Up”: Mary Mary

The Sound (Columbia Records)

TRADITIONAL GOSPEL RECORDED SONG

“Free at Last”: The Blind Boys of Alabama

Down in New Orleans (Time Life Music)

CONTEMPORARY GOSPEL RECORDED SONG

“How Great Is Our God”: LaRue Howard

How Great Is Our God (EMI Gospel)

WORSHIP SONG

“Mighty to Save”: Ben Fielding and Reuben Morgan

RAP/HIP HOP ALBUM

Ordinary Dreamers (Fervent Records) by Group 1 Crew

ROCK ALBUM

Satisfied (Slanted Records) by DecembeRadio

ROCK/CONTEMPORARY ALBUM

Never Going Back to OK (INO Records) by The Afters

POP/CONTEMPORARY ALBUM

Revelation (Essential Records) by Third Day

Latest release: Live Revelations (Essential Records)

INSPIRATIONAL ALBUM

Great God Who Saves (INO Records) by Laura Story

SOUTHERN GOSPEL ALBUM

Lovin’ Life (Gaither Music Group) by Ernie Gaither Vocal Band

BLUEGRASS ALBUM

We Are Family (Daywind Records) by Jeff & Sheri Easter

COUNTRY ALBUM

Around the Bend (Warner Bros. Records) by Randy Travis

Latest release: Three Wooden Crosses: The Inspirational Hits of Randy Travis (Word)

URBAN ALBUM

The Fight of My Life (Zomba Gospel) by Kirk Franklin

TRADITIONAL GOSPEL ALBUM

Down in New Orleans (Time Life Music) by The Blind Boys of Alabama

CONTEMPORARY GOSPEL ALBUM

Change the World (Martha Munizzi Music) by Martha Munizzi

INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM

Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (Walt Disney Records) by various artists

CHILDREN’S MUSIC ALBUM

Absolute Modern Worship for Kids 4 (Fervent Records) by various artists

SPANISH LANGUAGE ALBUM

Rescatame (BEC Recordings) by Seventh Day Slumber

Latest release: Take Everything (BEC Recordings)

SPECIAL EVENT ALBUM

Passion: God of This City (Sparrow Records) by Chris Tomlin, Charlie Hall, David Crowder Band, Christy Nockels, Kristian Stanfill, Fee and Matt Redman

CHRISTMAS ALBUM

Peace on Earth (Beach Street Records) by Casting Crowns

Latest release: The Altar and the Door Live (Beach Street Records)

PRAISE & WORSHIP ALBUM

A New Hallelujah (Reunion Records) by Michael W. Smith

MUSICAL

God Bless the USA (Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing) by Sue C. Smith, Joel Lindsey and Russell Mauldin

YOUTH/CHILDREN’S MUSICAL

An Island Christmas (Lillenas Publishing Company) by Wayne Haun, Shelby Haun and Joel Lindsey

CHORAL COLLECTION

I’ll Say Yes (Brooklyn Tabernacle Music) by Carol Cymbala

RECORDED MUSIC PACKAGING