The Dove Awards Embrace Their Oppositeness

Dan Gibson | April 24, 2009 12:30 pm

Congratulations, Gospel Music Association! You got what you wanted when you added Miss California to the lineup of last night’s Dove Awards: A flash of added publicity for one of the most tedious award shows ever. A rant on the night, and a list of the winners, after the jump. First of all, on behalf of anyone who has ever listened to Christian music (regardless of whether they agree with me or not), I’d like to apologize to Marvin Sapp. Sure, you released the chart-topping, record-breaking gospel classic “Never Would Have Made It” this year, the sort of song that will be a mainstay of the genre for decades to come. But somehow the Dove awards seem to have missed that fact entirely. Unless I missed it, they didn’t have you perform, and they certainly didn’t manage to give you an award. Meanwhile, Steven Curtis Chapman didn’t actually put out a new album of material this year (although his 2007 album This Moment was repackaged for the second time in 2008, which counts for something, I guess), but he won the Entertainer of the Year and Songwriter of the Year awards, and was given the largest chunk of the show to perform. Yes, his daughter died. Yes, that is a very sad thing. But theoretically, the Doves are supposed to be about recognizing greatness, not making up for unfortunate circumstances, and between appearances by former American Idol contestants and pseudo-Christian celebrities (Stephen Baldwin! Chynna Phillips! Sinbad!), they should have found more time for you, Marvin. For that, I’m sorry. (At least Song of the Year winner Brandon Heath acknowledged that you probably should have won from the stage.) But, hey, Miss California was there, and booking someone who stammered through half an opinion at an event that is sort of a strange thing for Christians to support anyhow (how do beauty pageants fit in with everyone being the image of God?) is just how the Dove Awards roll. Brandon Heath’s likely well-meaning song about wanting to see people as God sees them gets a bunch of awards, and the sort of audience that most likely spent April 15 waving around teabags and the night of Nov. 4 complaining about how the world was going to hell in a handbasket gets to feel like they’re being sensitive and caring. Jars of Clay win a special award for their incredibly worthwhile charity Blood:Water Mission, but the official charity of the Doves is something about making sure everyone has a Bible. Every Christian that doesn’t subscribe to the party line of the conservative right is left out, but look, there’s MercyMe performing a song from 10 years ago! The Doves, at their best, are a world preserved in amber, one where being allowed inside depends on whether you’re willing to allow the charade going on around you to continue undisturbed. Next year, things will likely be exactly the same… some fading star will embrace Christianity and present the Artist of the Year award to Steven Curtis Chapman and Natalie Grant will win Female Vocalist of the Year for the fifth consecutive time, even if neither of them release a new album. Meanwhile, even acts that work within the Christian music system and release music that’s remotely interesting or modern sit on the outside, looking in. Even the Grammys eventually pieced together that their system wasn’t working at some point, but I don’t know if that sort of introspection is possible over at the Gospel Music Association. Just ask Marvin Sapp. Artist of the Year: Steven Curtis Chapman New Artist of the Year: Tenth Avenue North Songwriter of the Year: Steven Curtis Chapman Song of the Year: “Give Me Your Eyes” Brandon Heath, Jason Ingram Male Vocalist of the Year: Brandon Heath Female Vocalist of the Year: Natalie Grant Group of the Year: Casting Crowns Producer of the Year: Bernie Herms Rock Recorded Song of the Year: “Lost” by Red Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year: “Washed By The Water” by NeedToBreathe Urban Recorded Song of the Year: “Get Up” by MaryMary Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year: “Do Yo Thang” by KJ-52 Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year: “Give Me Your Eyes” by Brandon Heath Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year: “A New Hallelujah” by Michael W. Smith Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year: “Reason Enough” by Ernie Haase & Signature Sound Bluegrass Recorded Song of the Year: “They’re Holding Up The Ladder” by Jeff & Sheri Easter Country Recorded Song of the Year: “I Wish” by Point of Grace Rap / Hip Hop Album of the Year: Ordinary Dreamers, Group 1 Crew Rock Album of the Year: Satisfied, DecembeRadio Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year: Never Going Back to Okay, The Afters Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year: Revelation, Third Day Inspirational Album of the Year: Great God Who Saves, Laura Story Southern Gospel Album of the Year: Lovin’ Life, Gaither Vocal Band Bluegrass Album of the Year: We Are Family, Jeff & Sheri Easter Country Album of the Year: Around the Bend, Randy Travis Urban Album of the Year: The Fight of My Life, Kirk Franklin Traditional Gospel Album of the Year: Down in New Orleans, The Blind Boys of Alabama Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year: Change the World, Martha Munizzi Instrumental Album of the Year: Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Various Children’s Music Album of the Year: Absolute Modern Worship for Kids 4, Various Spanish Language Album of the Year: Aline Barros, Refrescate! Special Event Album of the Year: Passion: God of This City, Various Christmas Album of the Year: Peace on Earth by Casting Crowns Praise & Worship Album of the Year: Hello Love by Chris Tomlin Musical of the Year: God Bless the USA by Sue C. Smith, Brentwood/Benson Youth/Children’s Musical of the Year: An Island Christmas by Wayne Haun, Shelby Haun, Joel Lindsey, Lillenas Publishing Choral Collection of the Year: I’ll Say Yes by Carol Cymbala, Brooklyn Tabernacle Music Recorded Music Packaging of the Year: Revelation (Third Day) by Tim Parker, Becka Blackburn, David McLister, R.W. Sims, Essential Records Short Form Music Video of the Year: Slow Fade, Casting Crowns, Erwin Brothers Motion Pictures Long Form Music Video of the Year: “Alive & Transported,” tobyMac, Eric Welch, Tameron Hedge 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards Winners [Dove Awards] Marvin Sapp – Never Would Have Made It [YouTube]