Dove Awards Honor Diverse Talent Pool

Casting Crowns was named Artist of the Year, an honor that was voted on by both GMA members and fans, who voted on gmclife.com.

   

Though they weren't present to accept, Needtobreathe earned three Dove Awards - Group of the Year, Rock/Contemporary Album for The Outsiders, and Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song, "Lay 'Em Down." 

Battistelli, who spilled the beans tonight that she is expecting her first child, won her first Doves, claiming the Female Vocalist of the Year honor and the Shortform Video award for "Free to Be Me."

"From the very beginning getting to announce such exciting news and singing 'Beautiful, Beautiful,' after winning female vocalist...I couldn't have pictured it any better. It was a dream come true," Battistelli said of the evening.

Heath claimed his second Male Vocalist of the Year award and also took home a second Dove for his participation in the multi-artist Glory Revealed II: The Word of God in Worship. Heath has been working on his third album, due later this year. "I'm looking forward to seeing what God is saying in this season," Heath said backstage. "I just want to hear from God and what he has to say."

Heath said he has been writing with country songwriter Lee Thomas Miller, but says the record won't be a country record. "I love the craft that comes out of this town," he says of the songwriting community in Nashville.

Hosted by Natalie Grant and MercyMe's Bart Millard, Dove Awards were presented in 43 categories. The show, which airs Sunday at 8/7 c on gmc, will feature 15 performances, including interesting pairings such as Natalie Grant with Idol season six winner Jordin Sparks, Donald Lawrance with Jason Crabb in a tribute to Andrae Crouch, and an all-star finale led by Michael W. Smith.

With some help from fans voting on gmclife.com, Sidewalk Prophets were voted New Artist of the Year. The band formed during their college days in Anderson, Indiana and have logged a lot of miles on their way to the Doves, and are anxious to continue. 

"We've got camps we're going to do this summer and we're going to keep on worshipping. That's what it's all about," said Dave Frey.

Tenth Avenue North's "By Your Side" was named Song of the Year. "We really weren't' expecting to win. All the songs were unbelievable," said lead vocalist Mike Donehey of the other songs in the category.

The band performed the song, which claimed the No. 3 spot on Billboard's overall decade ranking of Christian songs. Donehey co-wrote the song with Phillip LaRue and producer Jason Ingram, who happened to take home the honors for Producer of the Year.

Donehey says the song was written as they were each struggling with different challenges. "This song came out of a lot of brokenness," he says. "We all want to say 'God, fix it,' but without brokenness, where would our power be?"

Jennie Lee Riddle won two Doves. She was named songwriter of the year for "Revelation Song," recorded by both Phillips, Craig & Dean and Kari Jobe.  

"This one I'm having a hard time even believing. It's surreal," said Riddle as she collected her songwriter honor. (The song was also named Worship Song of the Year.) Backstage the teacher and mother of four said the song "came out of a very normal day raising my family. I wrote it like I write all my songs. It came from the life of a worshipper."

Phillips, Craig & Dean recorded "Revelation Song" on their current album Fearless, which won the Dove Award for Inspirational Album of the Year. Randy Phillips said the song has been a blessing. "It was God at work," he said. "The greatest compliment as we tour with this album is that churches all over the country are impacted...Something about that song takes you into the presence of God and we can't ask God to do more with a song than use it to take us into His presence."

Diamond Rio won their first Dove Award for Country Recorded Album of the Year for their Word Records' debut The Reason.

"It's a pleasant surprise," lead vocalist Marty Roe said backstage. "This has been a great project to be a part of. It's been a little of a musical and spiritual revival for the band. I'm flabbergasted that we're able to take one of these."