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The Isaacs, Brian Free & Assurance, 11th Hour, and Bowling Family Named Most Nominated Artists; Joseph Habedank and Kenna West Score Most Individual Nominations
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The administrators and staff of AbsolutelyGospel.com are proud to announce the nominees for the 2015 Absolutely Gospel Music Awards. As in years past, the nominees were chosen by the staff of AbsolutelyGospel.com and select media representatives. Starting on February 1, 2015, the fans will get a chance to vote for their favorites in a dozen categories.
“It is hard to believe that it is time to be announcing another batch of nominees,” mentioned AbsolutelyGospel.com President/CEO Deon Unthank. “Our awards program has become a highlight in the Southern Gospel industry, and we can’t wait to announce all of the plans we have this year!”
Chris D. Unthank, Editor-In-Chief of AbsolutelyGospel.com said, “This is another great listing of artists and individuals who best represented our genre in 2014. We aren’t just about nominating the most popular and recognizable names in the industry. Our awards are about the best our music had to offer from a musical and artistic standpoint for the previous year. This year’s nominees don’t change that at all.”
In addition, the Absolutely Gospel Music Awards opened a new category, Music Video of the Year due to the large increase of short-form concept videos being produced in the genre over the last couple of years. Music videos belonging to HIGHROADIII, The Freemans, Brian Free & Assurance, Wilburn & Wilburn, and Jason Crabb were the first to be nominated in this category.
As far as nominations go, four artists tied for the most nominations this year. Last years big winners The Isaacs along with the Bowling Family, Brian Free & Assurance, and 11th Hour landed an impressive seven nominations each this year.
The Isaacs took home nominations in Mixed Group of the Year and Fan Favorite Artist of the Year in addition to several other mentions and individual nominations for group members Ben Isaacs, Becky Isaacs Bowman, and Sonya Isaacs Yeary.
The Bowling Family was mentioned in Song of the Year (for “I Know Enough”) and Mixed Group of the Year, in addition to much more. Brian Free & Assurance saw nods in Song of the Year (for “Say Amen”) and Album of the Year (for Unashamed), just like 11th Hour for “How Will You Plead?” and Picture This respectively.
Karen Peck & New River, The Browders, and HIGHROADIII each earned five nominations apiece. Following behind those artists were Gold City, The Talleys, The Dunaways, and Tribute with four mentions, while the Booth Brothers, The Freemans, and Three Bridges all landed three nods. Several artists earned double nominations, including Legacy Five, The OldPaths, Triumphant, Mark Trammell Quartet, Jim Brady Trio, Collingsworth Family, Zane & Donna King, and the Kingsmen.
Two people earned the most individual nominations: new soloist Joseph Habedank and hit songwriter Kenna West. They both earned a staggering eight nominations apiece. Habedank landed mentions in Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year in addition to multiple songwriting mentions as well. West landed her fifth consecutive Songwriter of the Year notice and had double Song of the Year nominations (for co-writing “Finish Well” and “Say Amen”).
Songwriter Dianne Wilkinson earned an impressive seven nods as well – including four mentions in the Song of the Year category. Jeff Collins and Ricky Free landed six nominations, while Michael Farren, Gordon Mote, and Lee Black each earned five nods. Mentioned four times were Karen Peck Gooch, Amber Eppinette, Jim Brady, Jason Cox, and Roger Talley. Multiple people earned three nominations including Ben Isaacs, Jeff Stice, Jerry Salley, Amber Nelon Thompson, Matthew Browder, and Becky Isaacs Bowman.
The Pacesetter Award is awarded to any artist, individual, or organization that has shown great strides in the industry and has raised the bar for others. This year’s nominees for the 2015 Pacesetter are satellite radio station enLighten Sirius-XM Satellite Radio, new Southern Gospel television show Music City Show, popular blogging site MusicScribe.com, record label StowTown Records, and promotional firm Vertical Sky Promotions.
More information on the 2015 Absolutely Gospel Music Awards Celebration will be forthcoming, including hosts, performers, and sponsors, etc. The date for this year’s Absolutely Gospel Music Awards Celebration is Tuesday, April 14, 2015. The event will again take place at the River of Life Church in Smyrna, Tennessee. Ticket information will be forthcoming.
The nominees for the 2015 Absolutely Gospel Music Awards are listed below:
SONG OF THE YEAR
“Christ Is Still the King” – Legacy Five (R.J.Peck, D.Wilkinson)
“Finish Well” – Karen Peck & New River (M.Farren, K.P.Gooch, K.West)
“Footprints On the Water” – Gold City (J.Habedank, D.Wilkinson)
“Hidden Heroes” – The Talleys (D.Phillips, S.Phillips)
“How Will You Plead?” – 11th Hour (A.Eppinette, D.Wilkinson)
“I Know Enough” – Bowling Family (M.Henry, B.Smith)
“I See Grace” – Booth Brothers (J.Brady, B.Weeks, T.Wood)
“Lead Me Home” – The Freemans (R.Houser, A.Monday)
“Long Live the King” – The Old Paths (C.Binion, D.Wilkinson)
“Preacher Tell Me Like It Is” – Greater Vision (R.Griffin)
“Say Amen” – Brian Free & Assurance (J.Cox, M.Farren, K.West)
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Angel at the Crossroads – HIGHROADIII (B.Gaither, B.Isaacs)
Awesome God – Triumphant (M.Speck, J.Stice)
Church In the Kitchen – The Dunaways (J.Salley)
Hymn Revival – Gold City (G.Mote, D.Riley)
Jesus Saves – Three Bridges (R.Sandidge)
Journey of Hope – Tribute (R.Talley)
Picture This – 11th Hour (J.Collins)
Unashamed – Brian Free & Assurance (R.Free)
Welcome Home – Joseph Habedank (R.Free)
Your Walk Talks – Mark Trammell Quartet (J.Collins, M.Trammell, G.Wolfe)
PACESETTER
enLighten Sirius XM Satellite Radio
Music City Show
MusicScribe.com
StowTown Records
Vertical Sky Promotions
BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST
Joseph Habedank
Mylon Hayes Family
Amber Nelon Thompson
Watts, Rowsey & Bean
Zach & Rodney
MALE VOCALIST
Doug Anderson (Ernie Haase & Signature Sound)
Mike Bowling (Bowling Family)
Jim Brady (Jim Brady Trio)
Adam Crabb (Gaither Vocal Band)
Joseph Habedank
Bill Shivers (Brian Free & Assurance)
FEMALE VOCALIST
Lauren Talley Alvey (The Talleys)
Amber Eppinette (11th Hour)
Karen Peck Gooch (Karen Peck & New River)
TaRanda Greene
Kanah Dunaway Lovern (The Dunaways)
Amber Thompson (The Nelons)
MALE GROUP
Booth Brothers
Brian Free & Assurance
Canton Junction
The Old Paths
Triumphant
Tribute
FEMALE GROUP
HIGHROADIII
Red Roots
Sisters
Sweetwater Revival
MIXED GROUP
11th Hour
Bowling Family
The Browders
Collingsworth Family
The Isaacs
Karen Peck & New River
SONGWRITER (ARTIST)
Jim Brady (Jim Brady Trio)
Matthew Browder (The Browders)
Amber Eppinette (11th Hour)
Joseph Habedank
Becky & Sonya Isaacs (The Isaacs)
SONGWRITER (PROFESSIONAL)
Lee Black
Jason Cox
Rebecca J. Peck
Sue C. Smith
Kenna West
Dianne Wilkinson
PRODUCER (ARTIST)
Ben Isaacs (The Isaacs)
Donna King (Zane & Donna King)
Gordon Mote
Jeff Stice
Roger Talley (The Talleys)
PRODUCER (PROFESSIONAL)
Jeff Collins
Ricky Free
Lari Goss
Michael Sykes
Kevin Ward
ENGINEER
Steve Allen
Van Atkins
Blake Bennett
Terry Thompson
Kevin Ward
MUSICIAN
Becky Isaacs Bowman (The Isaacs)
Kim Collingsworth (Collingsworth Family)
Channing Eleton
Ricky Free
Gordon Mote
Jeff Stice
TRADITIONAL SONG
“Everything I Need” – Tribute (L.Black, M.Farren, K.West)
“Everybody’s Going Through Something” – Karen Peck & New River (K.P.Gooch, D.Poythress, K.West)
“Footprints On the Water” – Gold City (J.Habedank, D.Wilkinson)
“I Can Trust Him” – The Perrys (W.Haun, J.Lindsey)
“Oh Yes I Am” – Kingsmen (R.Walden)
TRADITIONAL ALBUM
Battle Cry – Kingsmen (J.Collins)
Great Day – Legacy Five (L.Goss)
Hymn Revival – Gold City (G.Mote, D.Riley)
Isaiah 12:2 – Booth Brothers (M.Booth, R.Booth, J.Brady)
Journey of Hope – Tribute (R.Talley)
Your Walk Talks – Mark Trammell Quartet (J.Collins, M.Trammell, G.Wolfe)
PROGRESSIVE SONG
“Finish Well” – Karen Peck & New River (M.Farren, K.P.Gooch, K.West)
“How Will You Plead?” – 11th Hour (A.Eppinette, D.Wilkinson)
“I Know Enough” – Bowling Family (M.Henry, B.Smith)
“Lift Up His Name” – The Browders (M.Browder)
“Never, No Never” – Joseph Habedank (L.Black, J.Habedank, T.Wood)
“Say Amen” – Brian Free & Assurance (J.Cox, M.Farren, K.West)
PROGRESSIVE ALBUM
Jesus Saves – Three Bridges (R.Sandidge)
Picture This – 11th Hour (J.Collins)
The Test of Time – The Talleys (R.Talley)
Unashamed – Brian Free & Assurance (R.Free)
Welcome Home – Joseph Habedank (R.Free)
COUNTRY SONG
“Ain’t It Just Like the Lord” – Gordon Mote (L.Black, J.Cox, K.West)
“Church In the Kitchen” – The Dunaways (L.Black, J.Salley, S.C.Smith)
“I Wanna Be There” – The Isaacs (B.I.Bowman, J.Yeary, S.I.Yeary)
“Lead Me Home” – The Freemans (R.Houser, A.Monday)
“Like Father, Like Son” – James & Jeff Easter (S.Easter)
“Listening For the Shout” – The Browders (M.Browder, T.Browder)
COUNTRY ALBUM
Angel at the Crossroads – HIGHROADIII (B.Gaither, B.Isaacs)
Church In the Kitchen – The Dunaways (J.Salley)
Mile Marker One – Zane & Donna King (D.King)
The Hinsons: Remembered – Mike Bowling (M.Bowling)
Vintage – The Akins (D.Akin, D.Akin, E.Akin, N.Akin)
SPECIAL EVENT PROJECT
A Christmas Hymn – Steve Ladd (S.Ladd)
An Isaacs Family Christmas Special – The Isaacs
Cathedrals Family Reunion Live – Various Artists (W.Haun)
Mississippi Live – Bowling Family
Not Without Love – Amber Thompson (J.Clark)
MUSIC VIDEO
“Angel at the Crossroads” – HIGHROADIII
“Help Me” – Wilburn & Wilburn
“Love Is Stronger” – Jason Crabb
“Say Amen” – Brian Free & Assurance
“Where I’ve Been” – The Freemans
FAN FAVORITE ARTIST
Bowling Family
The Browders
Michael English
HIGHROADIII
The Isaacs
Ivan Parker
David Phelps
Sneed Family
Three Bridges
The Williamsons