Mary Mary Leads Gospel Artists with 3 Grammy Nods
The nominees for the 51st Annual Grammy Awards were announced Wednesday night in a much-hyped live concert on CBS.
And leading in nominations this year in the "Gospel" field is Mary Mary with three nods, followed by CeCe Winans, Brandon Heath, and Kirk Franklin, each with two. Steven Curtis Chapman and MercyMe frontman Bart Millard, meanwhile, each have their hand on two Grammy-nominated projects.
"Congratulations go out to all of our nominated artists and songwriters," said John Coleman, vice president and general manager for Integrity Music. In addition to Mary Mary, Integrity Music's Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, Blind Boys of Alabama and Tye Tribbett will also be up for music's highest honor on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
"It is an honor to work with and serve such amazingly talented individuals who choose to use their gifts for the Kingdom," Coleman stated.
Corporate congratulations also went out to Inpop Records pop/rock band Superchick, who received their first Grammy nod.
"The album being nominated for a Grammy award came as a huge surprise, and we are truly honored to have been recognized by NARAS members," said Max Hsu of Superchick, who also helped produce Rock What You Got, which was nominated for "Best Rock Or Rap Gospel Album."
The 51st Annual Grammy Awards will be held on "Grammy Sunday," Feb. 8, 2009, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Like last year, the upcoming awards night will be broadcast live in high-definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on CBS. Broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/PT and ends 11:30 p.m.
The following is the list of Grammy nominees in the Gospel field:
Best Gospel Performance
(For solo, duo, group as collaborative performances. Singles or tracks with vocal containing Gospel lyrics. All genres of Gospel music are eligible.)
• I Understand
Kim Burrell, Rance Allen, Bebe Winans, Mariah Carey & Hezekiah Walker's Love Fellowship Tabernacle Church Choir
Track from: Randy Jackson's Music Club, Volume One
[Concord Records/Dream Merchant 21 Ent.]
• East To West
Casting Crowns
Track from: The Altar And The Door Live
[Beach Street/Reunion Records]
• Get Up
Mary Mary
Track from: The Sound
[Columbia]
• Shall We Gather At The River
Take 6
Track from: The Standard
[Heads Up International]
• Waging War
CeCe Winans
Track from: Thy Kingdom Come
[PureSprings Gospel/EMI Gospel]
Best Gospel Song
(A Songwriter(s) Award. For Song Eligibility Guidelines see Category #3. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)
• Cover Me
James L. Moss, songwriter (21:03 With Fred Hammond, Smokie Norful & J Moss)
[Verity/Zomba Gospel; Publisher: Millenni-era Music]
• Get Up
Erica Campbell, Tina Campbell, Warryn Campbell & Eric Dawkins, songwriters (Mary Mary)
Track from: The Sound
[Columbia; Publishers: Wet Ink Red Music/That's Plum Song/It's Tea Tyme/EMI April/E.D. Duz-It Music/Irving Music/Underdog Songs]
• Give Me Your Eyes
Brandon Heath & Jason Ingram, songwriters (Brandon Heath)
Track from: What If We
[Reunion Records; Publishers: Sitka6 Music/Peertunes/Grange Hill Music/Windsor Way Music]
• Help Me Believe
Kirk Franklin, songwriter (Kirk Franklin)
Track from: The Fight Of My Life
[Fo Yo Soul Ent./Zomba Gospel ; Publishers: Universal Music-Z Songs/Kerrion Publishing]
• You Reign
Jim Bryson, Steven Curtis Chapman, Nathan Cochran, Barry Graul, Bart Millard, Mike Scheuchzer & Robby Shaffer, songwriters (MercyMe)
Track from: All That Is Within Me
[INO Records; Publishers: Simpleville Music/Wet As A Fish Music, Sparrow Song/Peach Hill Songs]
Best Rock Or Rap Gospel Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)
• Hello
After Edmund
[Slanted Records]
• Our World Redeemed
Flame
[Cross Movement Records]
• We Need Each Other
Sanctus Real
[Sparrow Records]
• Rock What You Got
Superchick
[Inpop Records]
• Alive And Transported
TobyMac
[ForeFront Records/EMI CMG]
Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)
• This Moment
Steven Curtis Chapman
[Sparrow Records]
• What If We
Brandon Heath
[Reunion Records]
• Opposite Way
Leeland
[Essential Records]
• Hello Love
Chris Tomlin
[Sparrow Records/Sixstepsrecords/EMI CMG]
• Thy Kingdom Come
CeCe Winans
[PureSprings Gospel/EMI Gospel]
Best Southern, Country, Or Bluegrass Gospel Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)
• Room For More
Booth Brothers
[Daywind Records]
• Lovin' Life
Gaither Vocal Band
[Gaither Music Group]
• Steps To Heaven
Charlie Louvin
[Tompkins Square]
• Hymned Again
Bart Millard
[INO Records]
• Ephesians One
Karen Peck & New River
[Daywind Records]
Best Traditional Gospel Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)
• Down In New Orleans
The Blind Boys Of Alabama
[Time Life]
• I'll Say Yes
The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
Carol Cymbala, producer
[Integrity Music]
• Take It Back
Dorinda Clark-Cole
[GospoCentric/Zomba]
• Deitrick Haddon Presents . . . Together In Worship
Voices Of Unity
[Tyscot Records]
• Bishop Charles E. Blake Presents... No Limit
The West Angeles COGIC Mass Choir
[EMI Gospel]
Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)
• Reflections
Jason Champion
[EMI Gospel/Brooks Entertainment]
• The Fight Of My Life
Kirk Franklin
[Fo Yo Soul Entertainment/ Zomba Gospel]
• The Sound
Mary Mary
[Columbia]
• Donald Lawrence Introduces: Family Prayer
The Murrills
[Quiet Water/ Verity]
• Stand Out
Tye Tribbett & G.A.
[Columbia]
A complete list of nominees is available at www.grammy.com.
