Christian music mainstay Jason Crabb led the number of Gospel Music Association (GMA) DOVE Award nominations according to the press conference held by the GMA at The Georgian Terrace Hotel in Atlanta, GA on February 22, 2012.
Crabb’s eight nominations include: Artist of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Country Recorded Song of the Year (“Why Me”), Southern Gospel Song of the Year (“If There Ever Was a Time,” Crabb Family), Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year (“I Saw the Light”), Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year (“I’d Rather Have Jesus”), Southern Gospel Album of the Year (The Song Lives On) (Gaither Music Group) and Long Form Music Video of the Year (The Song Lives On) (Gaither Music Group).
Crabb’s current southern Gospel radio hit “Who Am I,” written by Rusty Goodman and also featured on his nominated release The Song Lives On, is also nominated in the Song of the Year category for the 2012 GMA DOVE Awards.
“I’m just blown away,” stated Jason. “My latest release, The Song Lives On, is a project I’d always dreamed of recording. I wanted to go back to my roots…back to the church where I grew up singing. To see the songs I sang in a little country church be honored in this way is special. This album is something really dear to my heart. I am grateful to the three B’s—Bill Gaither, Barry Jennings and Bill Carter—for making this dream a reality for me.”
Crabb received the news while traveling back from Tuesday night’s college basketball game, broadcast on ESPN, between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the University of Kentucky Wildcats where he performed the national anthem for a packed house at the Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, MS.
“I want to thank Mississippi State University for allowing me to be a part of such a big game,” commented Jason. “What an honor and what a great game!”
Crabb, a Kentucky native and lifelong Wildcat fan, was able to meet Coach Calipari, the University of Kentucky’s head coach. Calipari tweeted later in the evening about his Kentucky team stating, “Our boys still have the will to win.” Included in the tweet was the attached photo with Crabb.
Crabb’s recorded products are available online and at retail everywhere and are distributed through EMI CMG Distribution. For further information regarding Jason Crabb, visit www.jasoncrabb.com.
The list of stars keeps growing for the 42nd Annual GMA Dove Awards being held on Wednesday, April 20th at the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA. Celebrities from across the entertainment landscape will present awards during the televised awards show. The 42nd Annual Dove Awards, hosted by Sherri Shepherd, will take place at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA on Wednesday, April 20th at 8 p.m. ET. The awards show will be televised on GMC, America’s favorite network for uplifting entertainment, on Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011 at 7 p.m. ET.
Super Bowl and Green Bay Packer standout Greg Jennings, actresses Kim Fields and Yvette Nicole Brown, comedienne Chonda Pierce, actor Kevin Sorbo, singers Mandisa and Ruben Studdard, Leigh Anne Tuohy and Collins Tuohy round out the list of presenters. The pre-show event will be hosted by artist Jason Crabb, who is a multi-Dove Award nominee. Brian Courtney Wilson and Guy Penrod will perform at the pre-show.
Previously announced performers and appearances during the televised show include Audrey Assad, Francesca Battistelli, Natalie Grant, Ernie Haase and Signature Sound, Deitrick Haddon, Kirk Franklin, LeCrae, Mary Mary, Britt Nicole, Chonda Pierce, Point of Grace, Kerrie Roberts, Kenny Rogers, Smokie Norful, Marvin Sapp, Chris Tomlin, Laura Story, Tenth Avenue North.
The year’s new location and excitement surrounding the awards show have tickets selling at a record pace. The ticket sales are already exceeding 60% over the past years at this date leading up to the April 20th awards show. “This is exciting and unprecedented for the GMA Dove Awards,” states INO’s Dan Michaels, who is overseeing the sales for this year’s event.
In addition to the already announced appearances, the GMA launched a very successful campaign inviting churches to submit video of them performing a praise and worship hymn. With nearly 100 entries to date, the winners will be part of this year’s telecast and awards show.
The 42nd Annual GMA Dove Awards are produced by GMC, in association with Encore Entertainment. Michael Johnson is director. Tommy Sims is musical director. Rex Humbard is executive producer for GMC. Ed Leonard and Mitchell Solarek are executive producers for GMA.
Many events will be taking place throughout the week in Atlanta surrounding the awards. The nominee luncheon will be held on Tuesday, April 19. Various record labels will host special events and the annual Holy Hip-Hop Awards will be given out.
For more information on the awards, please visit www.wortmanworks.com/clients/doveawards for more detailed information on the show and all the participants or visit www.doveawards.com.
Tickets to the 42nd Annual GMA Dove Awards are now on sale at the Fox Theatre box office in Atlanta or at www.ticketmaster.com.
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Trusting God To Get You Through—Lessons I’ve Learned Through The Fire About Grace, Loss, and Love, the first book from GRAMMY® and Dove Award-winning recording artist Jason Crabb, is now available from Charisma House publishers.
With a Foreword by gospel music pioneer Bill Gaither, Trusting God To Get You Through features lyrics from The Crabb Family signature song, “Through The Fire,” written by Jason’s father Gerald, to introduce each of the eight chapters. The book documents challenges Jason faced growing up; the rise and unprecedented success of The Crabb Family; and the uncertainty he felt stepping out to pursue a solo career. In addition, Trusting God To Get You Through offers personal glimpses of his life with his wife, Shellye, including their pain of suffering through two miscarriages prior to the arrival of their daughters Ashleigh and Emmaleigh.
“Everyone walks through the fire of adversity, but whatever your experiences—joys or sorrows—our amazing God can use every bit of your life to produce the most unexpected results,” said Crabb. “That is my story, and it is your story too.”
Trusting God To Get You Through includes such chapters as “Facing Life’s Questions,” “Feeling All Alone,” and “Divine Help In Desperate Times,” in which Crabb focuses readers’ attention on God’s character, reassuring them that they can walk through the fires of adversity with His help. Jason also references personalities from the Bible, using their own journeys to illustrate God’s faithfulness.
Jason Crabb is one of gospel music’s most awarded artists. His 2009 self-titled best-selling Spring Hill solo debut garnered a GRAMMY® Award for Best Southern/Country/Bluegrass Gospel Album, as well as a Dove Award for Country Recorded Song of the Year for his crossover single, “Somebody Like Me.” The 10-time Dove Award-winning and GRAMMY®-nominated Crabb Family, for which Jason was lead singer, helped to expand the genre of southern gospel music during their groundbreaking tenure. Jason’s follow-up to his acclaimed debut recording is slated to release later this year on the Spring Hill label.
Trusting God To Get You Through retails for $14.99 and is available at bookstores nationwide.