April, 27 2009
NASHVILLE, Tenn.— Curb recording artist Natalie Grant was named Female Vocalist of the Year for the fourth consecutive time at last night’s 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards. Grant now joins Sandi Patty as the only other artist to have received the prestigious honor four or more consecutive years.
In addition to her win, Grant performed “Make It Matter,” from her 2008 best-selling recording, Relentless, along with Group 1 Crew, during the live broadcast of the 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards on Gospel Music Channel.
The ceremony capped a GMA Music Week that saw other high-profile appearances for Grant, including a celebration honoring the RIAA Gold certification of her 2005 breakthrough, Awaken. In addition, Grant co-hosted the BMI Songwriter Showcase with singer /songwriter Matthew West, where she performed her Song of the Year-nominated hit single, “I Will Not Be Moved.”
Last year Grant was both the most-played female artist at Christian radio and the top-selling Adult Contemporary female solo artist in Christian music. One of the genre’s biggest names, Grant is among a select number of artists to have also achieved a formidable foothold at mainstream media and radio. In addition to her music, she is an outspoken advocate for victims of international human trafficking. The Home Foundation, which Grant created in 2005, has raised over a quarter of a million dollars to fight the trafficking of women and children for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
Tags: Dove Awards, Female Vocalist Of The Year10:48 am
April, 4 2009
The nominees for this year’s Dove Award for Songwriter of the Year, which will be presented at the 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards on April 23, were announced this week The nominees are (above, L-R) Steven Curtis Chapman, Natalie Grant, Brandon Heath, Jason Ingram and Tony Wood. The recipient of the Dove Award for Songwriter of the Year will be named during the awards show on April 23 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. The show is scheduled for live broadcast on the Gospel Music Channel, and tickets are now on sale to the public at the GMA office by calling 615-242-0303.
“Perhaps no other genre relies on the message in the lyrics more than gospel music, so songwriters deserve special honor at the Dove Awards,” GMA President and CEO John W. Styll said. “We congratulate each of these deserving writers for crafting music that has inspired and moved us in the past year.”
In addition to other songs they have written, each songwriter is nominated in the Song of the Year category. Chapman penned “Cinderella,” while Grant wrote “I Will Not Be Moved.” Heath and Ingram co-wrote “Give Me Your Eyes” and Wood co-wrote two Song of the Year nominees – “Empty Me” (with Chris Sligh and Clint Lagerberg) and “I’m Not Letting Go”(with Francesca Battistelli). Click here for a complete list of this year’s nominees.
The 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards, gospel music’s biggest night of the year, featuring artists from every style of gospel/Christian music coming together for a night of music and celebration, will be broadcast nationwide live on Gospel Music Channel from 8-10 p.m. (ET/PT) on Thursday, April 23, 2009.
Click here for more on the 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards
Tags: Dove Awards, Songwriter Of The Year8:07 am
April, 24 2008
What a night we had last night.
Very surreal, honestly. I got to perform with Wynona which was a life highlight for me. she is so talented and even more gracious. My band rocked, the singers were insanely awesome, and if I do say so myself, my shoes were “hot”! of all the Dove Awards I have attended, this was by far the best show. Great staging, production and diverse talent.
I am definitely not too cool to admit that I am a fan of christian music – always have been. it is an honor to be a part of the community of Christian artists. the pre-show included a performance by Phil Wickham. WOW. If you don’t know his music, check it out. It was one of my favorite performances of the night. What a shame that it wasn’t televised.
I was so proud of my sweet Bernie. He conducted the strings on the Casting Crowns performance of “East to West”. He then went on to win song of the year for that same song, as he wrote it with Mark Hall. Winning female artist of the year was special for me but I also felt several others in the category deserved it.
The awards are sweet and I love that we take time to honor one another, but they do not define us. And in the end, they don’t matter. whatever “enlarged territory” they may bring me, I pray my art, and more importantly, my life, will represent the Christ i claim to serve.
Right after the show we went back to work. my bus rolled at midnight and carried us to Pennsylvania. Now we’re on to Ohio. I will post some pics when i get home. I forgot my photo card reader, so i can’t get the photos off my camera. I am, after all, technically challenged.
Nothing but love for all of you.
xo,
natalie
Tags: bernie herms, Dove Awards, natalie grant, phil wickham9:41 pm
April, 22 2008
I have a virus. What bad timing. My nose is all plugged up, my throat is killing me and my body aches. Somehow, I have to get better. I am desperate to clear my nose so i can sing tomorrow night on the dove awards with wynona. then i have 4 shows in a row following that. Pray for me if you think of it. So my sister told me about this thing she saw on Regis and Kelly. Turns out it was on Oprah, too. it’s called the Nasalflo Neti Pot. What?
If you would have told me that I would be pouring a pot of liquid up one nostril of my nose and let it drain out the other side I would have said, “uh, I don’t think so.” but that just tells you how desperate I am. So I mixed up the solution, tilted my head in just the right way, and started to pour. But my nose is so blocked, that it just ran into my mouth and i felt like I was drowning. but it did finally bring a little bit of relief. I am going to try it again in a few hours, so stay tuned. The Neti Pot….check it out. If you’ve got a cold or allergies, it is suppose to be a miracle worker.
Sniffly and sneezy,
natalie
Tags: Dove Awards, natalie grant, Neti Pot, Singng9:27 am
April, 15 2008
Natalie is performing at the Dove Awards next week. Check it out.
Tags: Dove Awards, natalie grant, Performance8:14 am