Thousands Flock to Music City for Gospel Music Week
NASHVILLE – Thousands of Christian music fans, musicians, and exhibitors have converged on America's Music City for the Gospel Music Association Music Week, which kicks off today.
The annual gospel music event will run in Nashville, Apr. 21-25, and is expected to entertain some 3,000 people with genre-specific programming such as seminars, workshops and showcases.
The week kicks off with the BMI Christian Music Awards - which salutes the songwriters and publishers of the past year's most performed Christian music on U.S. radio and television. The Awards will honor the BMI Christian Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and Publisher of the Year.
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Also lined up is the traditional Sunday evening of worship at the historic Ryman Auditorium featuring Hillsong United, along with the dynamic Hillsong Youth Pastor Phil Dooley. The night will be hosted by Michael W Smith.
Throughout the week, the GMA will offer programming specifically for artists and industry professionals with black gospel and urban music affiliations.
"I would like to see GMA Music Week attendance mirror the diversity reflected in the Billboard Top Christian and Gospel Albums charts and that means artists and professionals in the black gospel and urban music community are an important audience for GMA," said John W Styll, president and CEO of the GMA.
GMA Music Week will conclude with the Dove Awards – also dubbed as the GMA Music Awards – which takes place Apr. 25. Known as Christian music's "biggest night of the year," the awards show will be hosted by gospel sensations Brian Littrell, Natalie Grant, and Donnie McClurkin this year at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry House .
TobyMac, Kirk Franklin, Mandisa, Take 6, The Crabb Family, MercyMe and Chris Tomlin are among the first performers announced for the Dove Awards, while Michael W Smith, Brenda Lee and Bob & Larry from VeggieTales are among those slated as presenters. Nominations for the Awards were announced in February by the GMA.
