The 48th Annual GRAMMY Awards were handed out at the Staples Center in Los Angeles last night. Of the 108 awards, eight were in the Gospel field including the debut of a new Gospel GRAMMY category this year: Best Gospel Song.

Yolanda Adams, who was nominated in three categories, won for Best Gospel Song for Be Blessed. The song sends a powerful message of encouragement wrapped in a smooth R&B style and was written by Adams, James Harris III (aka Jimmy Jam), Terry Lewis and James Q. Wright. She has previously won two GRAMMYS for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album in 1999 for Mountain High… Valley Low and in 2001 for The Experience.

Audio Adrenaline earned the band its second consecutive GRAMMY Award for Best Rock Gospel Album, the same category that Winnipeg’s Fresh I.E. was also nominated in. “This GRAMMY is especially significant for us because it’s our last year together as a band, and it’s about doing what we love to do,” says Audio Adrenaline frontman Mark Stuart. “Although it’s our last year, it’s not all ending here. We will continue on with our efforts for Haiti with the Hands and Feet Project.” According to drummer Ben Cissell, the Grammy means something more than just a statue, “The GRAMMY is like a lifetime achievement award for us. It’s great to be honoured and I can’t think of a better way to go out. This one’s for all those high school teachers who thought we wouldn’t amount to anything… check this out!”

Platinum-selling band Casting Crowns celebrated their first GRAMMY nomination by capturing Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album for Lifesong, an album which features a collection of power anthems and rock ballads. Lead singer Mark Hall, commented, “We were honoured to represent Jesus and Christian music at the Grammy’s this year along with the other nominees in our category. God is showing through us that He can do whatever He wants with whomever He chooses. Our prayer is that we pointed to Jesus tonight and this award is placed at His feet.”

Amy Grant, a five time GRAMMY Award winner for Best Gospel Performance, isn’t normally considered a Southern Gospel performer but this year, she took home the GRAMMY for Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album. Rock Of Ages…Hymns & Faith is drenched in Americana, folk and country traditions. Grant also participated on two other projects which also won Grammy Awards, Songs from the Neighborhood: The Music of Mister Rogers won for Best Musical Album for Children and Marlo Thomas & Friends: Thanks & Giving All Year Long won for Best Spoken Word Album for Children.

Donnie McClurkin, whose Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs covers his original compositions plus well-loved songs from the likes of Michael W. Smith and Rich Mullins, won for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album. In 2004, McClurkin won this category for his album, Again.

A previous six time GRAMMY winner, CeCe Winans this year took home two more awards, one for Best Gospel Performance for her bubbly R&B/pop confection, Pray, off her album Purified which also won for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album. Purified is a delightful mix of Latin, urban and R&B influences and a straightforward inspirational message. Winans took home the Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album GRAMMY for her self-titled album in 2001 and in 1996 for her participation in Tribute: The Songs Of Andrae Crouch. In 1995, she won Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album for Alone In His Presence, as well as in 1991 for Different Lifestyles as BeBe & CeCe Winans. In 1989, Winans won Best Gospel Vocal Performance/Female for the single Don’t Cry, and in 1987 for For Always.

In non-Gospel related categories, Norma Jean’s album, O God, The Aftermath, received a nomination for Best Recording Package.

Several Gospel artists were featured on the live telecast that was seen across Canada on the Global Television Network.

The 30-member strong Hezekiah Walker & Love Fellowship Choir backed up Mariah Carey on her medley of We Belong Together and Fly Like A Bird which provided one of the evening’s most powerful performances.

The late Ron Winans was included as part of the “In Memorium” segment.

For the grand finale of the evening, Yolanda Adams, together with rockers Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen, and U2’s The Edge; soul singer Sam Moore, joined New Orleans’ local legends Allen Toussaint, Dr. John and “Soul Queen of New Orleans” Irma Thomas in an all-star tribute to New Orleans.

Here is the list of winners:

Category 51 – Best Gospel Performance
(For solo, duo, group as collaborative performances. Singles or tracks with vocal containing Gospel lyrics. All genres of Gospel music are eligible.)

• Pray
  CeCe Winans
  Track from: Purified [Puresprings Gospel/INO/Sony Urban Music/Epic]
  

Category 52 – Best Gospel Song
(A Songwriter(s) Award. For Song Eligibility Guidelines see Category #3. (Artist names appear in parenthesis.) Singles or Tracks only.)

• Be Blessed
  Yolanda Adams, James Harris III, Terry Lewis & James Q. Wright, songwriters
  (Yolanda Adams)
  Track from: Day By Day [Elektra/Atlantic; Publishers: EMI April Music, Flyte Tyme Tunes, Jibranda Music Works, Minneapolis Guys Music, Jamyo Music.]
  

Category 53 – Best Rock Gospel Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

• Until My Heart Caves In
  Audio Adrenaline
  [ForeFront Records]
  

Category 54 – Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

• Lifesong
  Casting Crowns
  [Beach Street/Reunion Records]
  

Category 55 – Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

• Rock Of Ages…Hymns & Faith
  Amy Grant
  [Word Records]
  

Category 56 – Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

• Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs
  Donnie McClurkin
  [Verity Records]
  

Category 57 – Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

• Purified
  CeCe Winans
  [Puresprings Gospel/INO/Sony Urban Music/Epic]
  

For a list of nominees in the different Gospel categories, visit YMZ’s GRAMMY nominees roundup here.

Over the weekend, the Salute To Gospel event, one of four GRAMMY Week Salute To events that also included Jazz, Classical Music and Industry Icons, was held at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

The event featured the presentation of President’s Merit Awards to singing legend Shirley Caesar, EMI Christian Music Group founder Billy Ray Hearn and group President and CEO Bill Hearn, and Gospel innovator and songwriter Richard Smallwood.

You can check out all the GRAMMY winning albums on each artist’s respective YMZ artist pages. These albums are all currently available at a Canadian Christian retailer near you.

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