CeCe Winans makes history with win at GMA Dove Awards; Crowder, Maverick City Music among winners

By Jeannie Ortega Law, Christian Post Reporter Wednesday, October 26, 2022

Some of Christian and gospel music’s most gifted performers were honored at the 53rd annual GMA Dove Awards show where history was made this year. 

The top award was taken home by CeCe Winans, who won Artist of the Year and Song of the Year for her No. 1 Billboard hit, “Believe for It." The multi-Grammy-winning gospel singer became the first African American female solo artist to be named Artist of the Year at the Dove Awards.

When she accepted her Artist of the Year award, Winans belted out the hymn, “To God Be the Glory.” 

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“It is amazing when we come together, love each other and stand for righteousness what God will do. … I am believing for God to move in this industry like He has never moved before,” Winans declared.

Held on the campus of Nashville’s Lipscomb University, the awards ceremony, for which this year's theme was "Sound of Heaven," aired on TBN Friday night. The show kicked off with Gospel Music Association President and CEO Jackie Patillo and Lipscomb University President Candice McQueen welcoming the audience of gospel and contemporary Christian music fans.

Crowder earned Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year for “Higher Power” featuring Hulvey. He started off the night's performances by singing his hit song, “Good God Almighty.” 

Worship leader Phil Wickham was awarded Worship Album of the Year for his album Hymn of Heaven, along with Worship Recorded Song of the Year and Songwriter of the Year. During Friday night's show, he took to the stage to perform “House of the Lord.” 

Maverick City Music won two awards at the show, including Gospel Worship Recorded Song of the Year for “Breathe,” featuring Chandler Moore, DOE and Jonathan McReynolds, and a second award for Gospel Worship Album of the Year with Tribl, for Tribl Nights Atlanta.

Anne Wilson, a new artist signed to Capitol CMG, took home two GMA Dove Awards for New Artist of the Year and Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year for her debut single “My Jesus.” Wilson performed the song at the awards and shared that it was written about the loss of her brother, Jacob, in 2017.

“I never imagined I’d be here tonight, standing on this stage and getting to be amongst all of you incredible artists,” the singer said during her acceptance speech for the New Artist of the Year award. She went on to thank her late brother, Jacob, too. “You inspire me and that’s why I do what I do, is to honor Jacob. Most of all, I want to thank Jesus for His grace, His mercy and His forgiveness. … I’m so thankful for all the artists in this category as well. You are changing lives and I’m so grateful.”

Among the evening's diverse honored performers was gospel singer Jekalyn Carr, who performed “My Portion,” which earned her a GMA Dove Award for Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year. 

The group DOE won Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year. Gateway Worship Español’s song “Danzando” won Spanish Language Recorded Song of the Year. 

Non-artist songwriter Jason Ingram (Elevation Worship, Maverick City Music) was named Songwriter of the Year. The Producer of the Year award went to Jeff Pardo (Crowder, Newsboys). The trio The Sound won their first GMA Dove Award for Bluegrass/Country/Roots album God Is Real. KB took home the Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year for his hit “King Jesus.”

The brother duo for King & Country won Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year for What Are We Waiting For? They also won both the Short and Long-Form Music Video of the Year/Concept Category for “Relate.”

Read the complete list of winners here.