NASHVILLE, Tenn. – (January 16, 2019) – The administrators and staff of AbsolutelyGospel.com are proud to announce the nominees for the 2019 Absolutely Gospel Music Awards. As in years past, the nominees were chosen by the staff of AbsolutelyGospel.com and select media representatives. Starting on Monday, January 21, 2019, the fans will get a chance to vote for their favorites in several categories.
“Once again, another year has come and gone, and we start this process all over again,” said Deon Unthank, President/CEO of AbsolutelyGospel.com. “This will be our 15th live show that we’ve produced, and we know that they just get better with age.”
“Our blending of ‘critics choice’ and ‘fan awards’ provides a very unique view into our industry. This is going to be yet another exciting year for AGM and Gospel music,” said Chris Unthank, Editor-In-Chief of AbsolutelyGospel.com.
This year seemed to be the year of multi-hyphenate performers. Perennial favorite Joseph Habedank landed the most nominations among artists this year. He landed a stellar 12 nominations this for his work as both a singer and songwriter. As an artist, Joseph landed key nominations in Song of the Year (for “Jailbreak”), Male Vocalist of the Year, Fan Favorite Artist of the Year, and Songwriter of the Year (Artist) (which he won last year). He also earned multiple nominations for his songwriting contributions last year.
Singer/Songwriter Jason Crabb followed behind with nine nominations, including Song of the Year (for “Washed By the Water”), Album of the Year (for Unexpected), Male Vocalist of the Year, and Fan Favorite Artist of the Year, among others.
Three artists followed closely behind as Jim & Melissa Brady (formerly the Jim Brady Trio), Karen Peck & New River, and Gordon Mote scored an impressive eight nominations apiece for their work in 2018.
Next in line was Gold City with seven nominations. Triumphant Quartet and the LeFevre Quartet landed a solid six nods, while 11th Hour and Three Bridges each scored five mentions. Taking four nominations each were the Down East Boys, The Perrys, and Collingsworth Family.
Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, The Talleys, The Martins, Johnny Minick & the Stewart Brothers, The Nelons, The Isaacs, The Freemans, and Jordan Family Band all landed three nods. Several artists earned double nominations, including the Michael English, Endless Highway, Hinson Family, The Old Paths, New Speer Family, Riley Harrison Clark, Steve Ladd, Tribute Quartet, The Erwins, Michael Combs, Jeff Stice, and Mylon Hayes Family.
Another perennial favorite, producer/songwriter Wayne Haun was the most nominated individual this year, taking a strong 14 nominations for his work this past year, including three separate Album of the Year mentions for his production work this year (for LeFevre Quartet’s Ascending, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound’s Clear Skies, and Collingsworth Family’s Mercy & Love).
Lee Black followed behind with nine mentions for his songwriting work in 2018.
Karen Peck Gooch, Kenna West, Scott Inman, and Jeff Collins all earned an impressive five nods as well. Jim Brady landed four individual nominations. Multiple people earned three nominations including Joel Lindsey, Michael Farren, Gerald Crabb, Amber Eppinette, Lauren Talley, Daniel Riley, Trey Ivey, Cody McVey, and Michael Sykes.
More information on the 2019 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 16, 2018 and once again held at First Church of the Nazarene in Dowtown Nashville, TN.
The nominees for the 2019 Absolutely Gospel Music Awards are listed below:
SONG OF THE YEAR
“Beat Up Bible” – Down East Boys (C.Barlowe, H.Lindsey, S.Stevens)
“Gotta Be Saved” – Karen Peck & New River (K.P.Gooch, J.Habedank, W.Haun)
“Finally Coming Home” – Michael English (J.Clark, K.West)
“Find Me Faithful” – The Perrys (J.Bumgardner, J.Lindsey, K.P.Gooch)
“If Church Pews Could Shout” – Gold City (K.West, L.Black, M.Farren)
“Jailbreak” – Joseph Habedank (J.Habedank, G.Crabb)
“Lost” – Jim Brady Trio (R.Griffin, T.Wood)
“Power In Prayer” – 11th Hour (A.Eppinette, K.West, D.Poythress, D.Skaggs)
“Sun’s Gonna Come Up” – LeFevre Quartet (L.Black, S.Inman)
“Thankful, So Thankful” – Triumphant Quartet (S.Inman, L.Black)
“Washed By the Water” – Jason Crabb (D.Barnes, J.Crabb, J.Reynolds)
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Ascending – LeFevre Quartet (W.Haun)
Clear Skies – Ernie Haase & Signature Sound (W.Haun)
Finest Hour – The Talleys (R.Talley, L.Talley)
Hope For the Journey – Gold City (M.Sykes, D.Riley, K.Harding)
Hope Keeps Writing the Song – Jim Brady Trio (G.Mote, J.Brady, B.Weeks, T.Ivey)
Mercy & Love – Collingsworth Family (W.Haun)
One Day In the Past – Down East Boys (J.Collins)
Our Story – Three Bridges (T.Corley)
Still Standing – The Martins (G.Mote)
Unexpected – Jason Crabb (J.DeMarcus)
MALE VOCALIST
Jim Brady (Jim & Melissa Brady)
Riley Harrison Clark
Jason Crabb
Joseph Habedank
Steve Ladd (The Old Paths)
Daniel Riley (Gold City)
FEMALE VOCALIST
Melissa Brady (Jim & Melissa Brady)
Amber Eppinette (11th Hours)
Karen Peck Gooch (Karen Peck & New River)
TaRanda Greene
Amber Nelon Thompson (The Nelons)
Lauren Talley (The Talleys)
MALE GROUP
Down East Boys
Gold City
LeFevre Quartet
Three Bridges
Tribute Quartet
Triumphant Quartet
FEMALE GROUP
Bowling Sisters
HIGHROAD
Lori Jonathan Trio
Master’s Promise
Perry Sisters
Sisters
MIXED GROUP
Collingsworth Family
The Erwins
Jim & Melissa Brady (formerly the Jim Brady Trio)
Karen Peck & New River
The Martins
The Perrys
BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST
Endless Highway
Hinson Family
Johnny Minick & the Stewart Brothers
Lore Family
Music City Quartet
New Speer Family
COUNTRY GOSPEL ARTIST
Tommy Brandt
T. Graham Brown
Michael Combs
Chuck Day
Chris Golden
Michael Lee
Johnny Minick & the Stewart Brothers
Jim Sheldon – The Positive Cowboy
SONGWRITER (ARTIST)
Jim Brady (Jim & Melissa Brady)
Amber Eppinette (11th Hour)
Joseph Habedank
Scott Inman (Triumphant Quartet)
Becky & Sonya Isaacs (The Isaacs)
John Darin Rowsey (The Guardians)
SONGWRITER (PROFESSIONAL)
Lee Black
Janice Crow
Joel Lindsey
Rebecca J. Peck
Sue C. Smith
Kenna West
Dianne Wilkinson
PRODUCER
Jeff Collins
Wayne Haun
Ben Isaacs
Trey Ivey
Donna King
Cody McVey
Gordon Mote
Michael Sykes
MUSICIAN
Autumn Nelon Clark (The Nelons)
Kim Collingsworth (Collingsworth Family)
Eli Fortner (The McKameys)
Caylon Freeman (The Freemans)
Matthew Gooch (Karen Peck & New River)
Gordon Mote
Jeff Stice
TRADITIONAL SINGLE
“Beat Up Bible” – Down East Boys (C.Barlowe, H.Lindsey, S.Stevens)
“Find Me Faithful” – The Perrys (J.Bumgardner, J.Lindsey, K.P.Gooch)
“If Church Pews Could Shout” – Gold City (K.West, L.Black, M.Farren)
“Sun’s Gonna Come Up” – LeFevre Quartet (L.Black, S.Inman)
“What An Anchor” – Mylon Hayes Family (R.J.Peck, D.Wilkinson)
“When the Prodigal Comes Home” – Tribute Quartet (L.Black)
TRADITIONAL RECORDING
A Singing Heritage – New Speer Family (B.Speer)
Ascending – LeFevre Quartet (W.Haun)
Clear Skies – Ernie Haase & Signature Sound (W.Haun)
Enjoy the Journey – Mylon Hayes Family (C.McVey, J.Collins)
Give Them Jesus – The Williamsons (D.Williamson, L.Butler, D.King)
Hope For the Journey – Gold City (M.Sykes, D.Riley, K.Harding)
Mercy & Love – Collingsworth Family (W.Haun)
PROGRESSIVE SINGLE
“Doin What’s Right” – 11th Hour (L.Black, D.McGlamery, N.Woodard)
“Good News Never Gets Old” – Three Bridges (D.Phillips, B.Herrema, K.Fitzwater, J.D.Rowsey)
“I Know I’ll Be There” – Karen Peck & New River (D.Clark, K.P.Gooch, W.Haun)
“Just When You Thought” – Joseph Habedank (M.Farren, J.Habedank, W.Haun)
“Lost” – Jim Brady Trio (R.Griffin, T.Wood)
“Washed By the Water” – Jason Crabb (D.Barnes, J.Crabb, J.Reynolds)
PROGRESSIVE RECORDING
Come Up Clean – Steve Ladd (C.McVey)
Finest Hour – The Talleys (R.Talley, L.Talley)
Hope Keeps Writing the Song – Jim Brady Trio (G.Mote, J.Brady, B.Weeks, T.Ivey)
Our Story – Three Bridges (T.Corley)
Still Standing – The Martins (G.Mote)
Watch & See – The Erwins (W.Haun)
Welcome To Me – Riley Harrison Clark (W.Haun)
COUNTRY/ROOTS SINGLE
“God of the Storm” – The Freemans (R.Rambo-McGuire, T.Wilkins)
“Gotta Be Saved” – Karen Peck & New River (K.P.Gooch, J.Habedank, W.Haun)
“If That’s What It Takes” – The Isaacs (S.I.Yeary. B.I.Bowman, J.Yeary)
“Jailbreak” – Joseph Habedank (J.Habedank, G.Crabb)
“Thankful, So Thankful” – Triumphant Quartet (S.Inman, L.Black)
“You Better Get Right (Or Ya Gonna Get Left)” – Jordan Family Band (J.Jordan, R.Atkinson)
“You Chose To Be My Friend” – Jason Crabb (with Gary LeVox) (G.Crabb)
COUNTRY/ROOTS RECORDING
East to West – Endless Highway (J.Collins)
Johnny Minick & the Stewart Brothers – Johnny Minick & the Stewart Brothers (J.Minick)
Love Love Love – Gordon Mote (P.Johnson, G.Mote)
Reach – Jordan Family Band (J.Collins)
The Light Just Came On – Hinson Family
Unexpected – Jason Crabb (J.DeMarcus)
SPECIAL EVENT PROJECT
A Winter’s Carol – The Nelons (J.Clark)
Fanny Crosby: Newly Discovered Hymns & Songs – Various Artists (W.Haun)
Favorites: Revisited By Request – The Isaacs (B.Isaacs)
Hits Live – Triumphant Quartet
Hymns with Friends – Joseph Habedank (L.Habedank)
The Greatest Gift – 11th Hour
MUSIC VIDEO
“Clear Skies” – Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
“I Know I’ll Be There” – Karen Peck & New River
“It Carried Him” – The Perrys
“Old Glory Waves” – Jordan Family Band
“Sun’s Gonna Come Up” – LeFevre Quartet
“Through It All” – Jeff Stice
FAN FAVORITE ARTIST
Michael Combs
Jason Crabb
Michael English
The Freemans
Gold City
Joseph Habedank
Karen Peck & New River
The Old Paths
Three Bridges
Triumphant Quartet
