Switchfoot and southern gospel’s Kentucky-bred The Crabb Family emerge as two of the the most honored artists at the 36th Annual GMA Music Awards. Joining them in receiving multiple Dove Awards were pop band Casting Crowns, gospel worship artist Israel & New Breed and singer/songwriters Jeremy Camp and Nicole C. Mullen.

“I love the fact that Switchfoot and The Crabb Family share top Dove Award honors this year because it powerfully reveals the variety of cultural expressions of the Gospel through music,” said John W. Styll, president of the Gospel Music Association (GMA) and executive producer of the 36th Annual GMA Music Awards.

The 36th Annual GMA Music Awards were hosted by top artists Houghton, Steven Curtis Chapman, Rebecca St. James, CeCe Winans, Smokie Norful and Darlene Zschech. Chapman added two more Doves to his résumé, one for co-writing “Voice of Truth” and one for his participation on Special Event Album of the Year recipient The Passion of the Christ: Songs.

Thanks to Mel Gibson’s blockbuster “The Passion of the Christ” film, some unexpected names are among this year’s Dove Award recipients. Lauryn Hill, Brad Paisley, Sara Evans, Scott Stapp and MxPx represent the eclectic mix of rock, pop, gospel and country artists receiving Dove Awards for Special Event Album of the Year for The Passion of the Christ: Songs. The Passion of the Christ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was named Instrumental Album of the Year, giving Gibson a Dove Award for his production on the John Debney-composed project.

In the “overall” categories, Dove Awards were presented to:



Artist of the Year – Switchfoot

Male Vocalist of the Year – Jeremy Camp

Female Vocalist of the Year – Nicole C. Mullen

Group of the Year – Casting Crowns

Songwriter of the Year – Mark Hall

Song of the Year – “Who Am I” written by Mark Hall

New Artist of the Year – Building 429


Switchfoot earned a total of four Dove Awards along with one additional Dove for lead songwriter Jonathan Foreman. The band’s breakthrough hit song “Dare You to Move,” was honored for Rock/Contemporary Song of the Year (with Foreman also taking home a Dove Award as the songwriter). The video for “Dare You to Move” was named Short Form Music Video of the Year, while the concert DVD Switchfoot Live In San Diego> earned the band a statuette for Long Form Music Video.

The show will air on several stations check your local listing for times and dates. For a complete list of winners log onto www.gma.org