This morning, the nominees for next year's Grammy Awards were announced. The field was led by outspoken new artist, Kanye West, who garnered a total of ten nominations. His take included the big categories of New Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, and Album of the Year, largely off of the strength of his hit song, "Jesus Walks."
U2 snared double nominations for "Vertigo" in Rock Song and Rock Performance categories. Take 6 was nominated with Stevie Wonder in Pop Collaboration With Vocals. And Moya Brennan's Two Horizons album was a New Age Album nominee.
In the Christian/Gospel categories, the nominees were, as usual, both typical and surprising. Voters in the Gospel categories usually go for the "name" artists and this year was no different. We also got our annual "what?" moment, with the nomination of Rising Son, by RainSong - a group that we've never heard of - in the Pop/Contemporary category.
Field 11 - Gospel
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.)
-The Stone
Shirley Caesar & Ann Nesby
Track from: The Fighting Temptations - Soundtrack
[Music World Music/Columbia]
- Heaven Help Us All
Ray Charles & Gladys Knight
Track from: Genius Loves Company
[Concord Records]
-Lay My Burden Down
Dr. John & Mavis Staples
Track from: N'awlinz Dis Dat Or D'udda
[EMI/Blue Note]
-Celebrate (He Lives)
Fred Hammond
Track from: Somethin' 'Bout Love
[Verity/Zomba Label Group]
-There Will Be A Light
Ben Harper & The Blind Boys Of Alabama
Track from: There Will Be A Light
[Virgin]
Field 11 - Gospel
Category 52 - Best Rock Gospel Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)
-Take Me Away
Sarah Kelly
[Gotee Records]
-Collide
Skillet
[Ardent Records]
-Lose This Life
Tait
[ForeFront Records]
-Wire
Third Day
[Essential Records]
-Welcome To Diverse City
TobyMac
[ForeFront Records]
-Holy Hip Hop "Taking The Gospel To The Streets"
Various Artists
David (Damonsta) Lynch, producer
[Holy Hip Hop Music]
Field 11 - Gospel
Category 53 - Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)
-The Creed
Avalon
[Sparrow Records]
-All Things New
Steven Curtis Chapman
[Sparrow Records]
-Who We Are Instead
Jars Of Clay
[Essential Records]
-Everyday People
Nicole C. Mullen
[Word Special Projects]
-Rising Son
RainSong
[Soar/Red Sea]
Field 11 - Gospel
Category 54 - Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)
-Driven
The Crabb Family
[Daywind Music Group]
-20th Century Gospel: From Hymns To Blackwood Brothers Tribute To Christian Country
The Jordanaires, Art Greenhaw & The Light Crust Doughboys & Nokie Edwards
[Greenhaw Records]
-Universal United House Of Prayer
Buddy Miller
[New West Records]
-Worship & Faith
Randy Travis
[Word Records]
-Amazing Grace 3 - A Country Salute To Gospel
Various Artists
Scott Hendricks, producer
[Sparrow Records]
Field 11 - Gospel
Category 55 - Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)
-The Live Experience
The Rance Allen Group
[Tyscot Records]
-There Will Be A Light
Ben Harper & The Blind Boys Of Alabama
[Virgin]
-The Water I Give
Dottie Peoples
[Atlanta International Records (Air Gospel)]
-The Praise & Worship Songs
Richard Smallwood
[Verity/Zomba Label Group]
-Still Here
The Williams Brothers
[Blackberry Records]
Field 11 - Gospel
Category 56 - Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)
-Somethin' 'Bout Love
Fred Hammond
[Verity/Zomba Label Group]
-Live From Another Level
Israel And New Breed
[Integrity Gospel]
-He-Motions
Bishop T. D. Jakes
[EMI Gospel/Dexterity Sounds]
-Nothing Without You
Smokie Norful
[EMI Gospel]
-Out The Box
Tonex & The Peculiar People
[Verity/Zomba Label Group]
Field 11 - Gospel
Category 57 - Best Gospel Choir Or Chorus Album
(For choirs or choruses only, with or without lead vocalist(s).)
-Can't Nobody Do Me Like Jesus
Minister Timothy Britten & Professor James Roberson, choir directors; Shabach
Praise Co.
[JDI Records, Inc]
-Live In New York
Rev. Timothy Wright, choir director; New York Fellowship Mass Choir II
[Atlanta International Records (AIRGospel)]
-Live...This is Your House
Carol Cymbala, choir director; The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
[INO Records]
-Spirit & Truth
Kevin Bond, choir director; Newbirth Total Praise Choir
[EMI Gospel]
-Unplugged... The Way Church Used To Be
Ricky Dillard, choir director; New Generation Chorale
[Crystal Rose]
The Grammys are being held February 13. For a full list of nominees visit grammy.com.