Deon and Susan Unthank, administrators of SouthernGospelNews.com, are proud to announce the nominees for the 2007 SGN Music Awards. As in year’s past, the nominees were chosen by the staff of SouthernGospelNews.com. Starting on February 1, 2007, the fans will get a chance to vote for their favorites in each category.

"Our awards have grown so much over the last couple of years,” mentioned site administrator Deon Unthank. “We feel like these nominations are some of finest ever. We can’t wait to let the voting begin and see who comes out on top!”

“Even our SGN Music Awards Celebration has turned into something really fantastic,” said Susan Unthank. “This year’s awards celebration is looking to be even more exciting than the last two years!”

As far as nominations go, Gold City led all artist nominees this year with a record tying 11 nominations, including Song of the Year (“Truth Is Marching On”), Album of the Year (Revival), Male Group of the Year, Best Live Performer, a Producer of the Year (Artist) nomination for three time winner Daniel Riley, and three individual nominations for Male Vocalist of the Year for group members Steve Ladd, Daniel Riley, and Jonathan Wilburn, as well as several additional nods.

Following behind Gold City were last year’s big winners the Booth Brothers and popular artist Dove Brothers Quartet with eight nominations apiece. Brian Free & Assurance and Mike & Kelly Bowling (formerly known as the Mike Bowling Group) both received six nominations.

Receiving five nominations apiece were 4-time Mixed Group of the Year winners Crabb Family as well as Three Bridges. Four artists earned four nominations apiece – Hoppers, Karen Peck & New River, McRaes, and Talley Trio.

TaRanda Greene and JBIF (Jody Brown Indian Family) both earned three nominations, while the Collingsworth Family, Hope’s Call, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Young Harmony, Mark Lowry, Stewart Varnado, Jeff & Sheri Easter, Mercy’s Mark, and the Greenes all received double nominations.

Songwriter and Booth Brothers baritone Jim Brady earned the most individual nominations for his work during 2006. In addition to landing in the Songwriter of the Year (Artist) category (an award he won last year), Jim earned an additional five nominations for his songwriting this year – bringing his total nominations to six. Earning five individual nominations were producer Roger Talley and songwriters Barry Weeks and Tony Wood. Michael Sykes, Daniel Riley, and Michael English all received four individual nominations for their work in 2006. Landing three individual nominations were Les Butler, Annie McRae, Chris Binion, Mike Bowling, Nick Bruno, Wayne Haun, and Jeff Collins.

The Pacesetter Award is awarded to any artist, individual, or organization which has shown great strides in the industry and has raised the bar for others. This year’s nominees for the 2007 Pacesetter are artist management company Big Ten Entertainment, Brian Free & Assurance, XM Satellite Radio’s Southern Gospel channel enLIGHTen 34, Gold City, and Salem Communications (home to Singing News Magazine, Homecoming Magazine, and the Solid Gospel radio network).

More information on the 2007 SGN Music Awards Celebration will be forthcoming, including hosts, performers, venue, sponsors, etc. The date for this year’s SGN Music Awards Celebration is Tuesday, April 17, 2007.

The nominees for the 2007 SGN Music Awards are listed below:

SONG OF THE YEAR: "He Knows My Name" (McRaes; A.McRae), "Hold Me While I Cry" (Karen Peck & New River; G.Crabb), "In the Sky" (Three Bridges; R.Hamm, G.King III), "Mountain Mover" (Talley Trio; J.Brady, B.Weeks, T.Wood), "My Past Has Passed" (Kingsmen; C.Binion), "One More Miracle" (Dove Brothers Quartet; S.Knight), "Over & Over" (Jeff & Sheri Easter; B.Smith, S.C.Smith), "Sky Full of Angels" (TaRanda Greene; B.Collins, C.Mills, L.Stewart), "Testify" (Booth Brothers; J.Brady, B.Weeks, T.Wood), "Truth Is Marching On" (Gold City; J.Brady, B.Weeks, T.Wood)

ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Good Good God (Kingsmen; R.Talley), Graceland (Mike Bowling Group; M.Bowling), Harmony (Booth Brothers; N.Bruno), It's So God (Brian Free & Assurance; W.Haun), Never the Same (Dove Brothers Quartet; D.Crawford, D.Johnson), Promises (Three Bridges; J.Collins), Revival (Gold City; M.English, K.Harding, D.Lehman, D.Riley, M.Sykes), Rise Above (Talley Trio; R.Talley), Something's Happening (Mercy's Mark; G.Jones), The Ride (Hoppers; L.Goss)

PACESETTER: Big Ten Entertainment, Brian Free & Assurance, enLIGHTen 34 - XM Satellite Radio, Gold City, Salem Communications

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR: Kelly Bowling (Crabb Family/Mike & Kelly Bowling), TaRanda Greene (Greenes), Kim Hopper (Hoppers), Karen Peck Gooch (Karen Peck & New River), Susan Whisnant (Whisnants)

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR (a tie necessitated 6 finalists): Mike Bowling (Mike & Kelly Bowling), Mitchell Kenitzer (Three Bridges), Steve Ladd (Gold City), Daniel Riley (Gold City), Bill Shivers (Brian Free & Assurance), Jonathan Wilburn (Gold City)

BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Browns, Crist Family, Dills, LeFevre Quartet, Mike & Kelly Bowling (formerly the Mike Bowling Group)

FEMALE GROUP OF THE YEAR: Amazed, Beloved, McRaes, Rejoice!, Ruppes

MALE GROUP OF THE YEAR: Booth Brothers, Brian Free & Assurance, Dove Brothers Quartet, Gold City, Kingsmen

MIXED GROUP OF THE YEAR: Crabb Family, Greenes, Hoppers, Karen Peck & New River, Talley Trio

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR (Professional): Chris Binion, Steven Cheney, Ronny Hinson, Rebecca J. Peck, Dianne Wilkinson

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR (Artist): Jim Brady (Booth Brothers), Stephanie Brown (JBIF), Phil Cross (Poet Voices), Kyla Rowland (Kyla Rowland & Deliverance), Daryl Williams (Daryl Williams Trio)

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR (Professional): Nick Bruno, Jeff Collins, Wayne Haun, Bubba Smith, Michael Sykes

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR (Artist): Donna Beauvais (Hope's Call), Michael English, Daniel Riley (Gold City), Roger Talley (Talley Trio), Woody Wright

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR: Stephanie Brown (JBIF), Kim Collingsworth (Collingsworth Family), Justin Ellis (Crabb Family), Gordon Mote, Stewart Varnado (Dixie Echoes)

BEST LIVE PERFORMER: Booth Brothers, Dove Brothers Quartet, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Gold City, JBIF

FAN FAVORITE ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Booth Brothers, Brian Free & Assurance, Crabb Family, Dove Brothers Quartet, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Gaither Vocal Band, Gold City, HisSong, Kirk Talley, Young Harmony

TRADITIONAL SOUTHERN SONG: "I'll Meet You On the Mountain" (Anchormen; G.Gaither, W.J.Gaither, M.Lowry, B.Mullins, W.Pritchard, M.Smith), "My Past Has Passed" (Kingsmen; C.Binion), "One More Miracle" (Dove Brothers Quartet; S.Knight), "Singing Heaven's Song" (Hope's Call; D.Britt), "Truth Is Marching On" (Gold City; J.Brady, B.Weeks, T.Wood)

TRADITIONAL SOUTHERN ALBUM: Good Good God (Kingsmen; R.Talley), It's So God (Brian Free & Assurance; W.Haun), Never the Same (Dove Brothers Quartet; D.Crawford, D.Johnson), Revival (Gold City; M.English, K.Harding, D.Lehman, D.Riley, M.Sykes), Something's Happening (Mercy's Mark; G.Jones)

PROGRESSIVE SOUTHERN SONG: "Arise My Love" (Imperials; E.Carswell), "He Knows My Name" (McRaes; A.McRae), "In the Valley There's a Rock" (Three Bridges; G.Bates, G.Casto), "Sky Full of Angels" (TaRanda Greene; B.Collins, C.Mills, L.Stewart), "Testify" (Booth Brothers; J.Brady, B.Weeks, T.Wood)

PROGRESSIVE SOUTHERN ALBUM (a tie necessitated 6 finalists): Be the Miracle (Mark Lowry; R.Davis, M.English, M.Sykes), Blur the Lines (Crabb Family; B.Smith), Harmony (Booth Brothers; N.Bruno), Promises (Three Bridges; J.Collins), Rise Above (Talley Trio; R.Talley), The Ride (Hoppers; L.Goss)

COUNTRY/BLUEGRASS SONG: "Graceland" (Mike Bowling Group; K.Harding), "Hold Me While I Cry" (Karen Peck & New River; G.Crabb), "Over & Over" (Jeff & Sheri Easter; B.Smith, S.C.Smith), "Peace" (Isaacs; R.Isaacs-Bowman, S.Isaacs), "The Word of the Lord" (McRaes, A.McRae)

COUNTRY/BLUEGRASS ALBUM: Family Reunion (Sondra Burnett; L.Butler), Graceland (Mike Bowling Group; M.Bowling), Revival (Dunaways; L.Butler), Strength (Young Harmony; D.Beauvais, D.Moody), The Road I Know (Sharron Kay King; L.Butler)

SPECIAL EVENT PROJECT: A Night to Remember (Collingsworth Family), Off the Record (Kingdom Heirs), Shout It Out (Dove Brothers Quartet; M.Dove, G.Milligan), The Best of Anthony Burger (Anthony Burger; B.Gaither), The Southern Gospel Players, Vol. 2 (Stewart Varnado), Torch (Various Artists)

RADIO PROMOTER OF THE YEAR (chosen from SGN’s charting stations): Phillip Emery (DJ Man Promotions), Rick Hendrix (Rick Hendrix Company), Jeff O'Neil (Heritage Communications), Jim Stover (Crossroads Music), Rhonda Thompson (Rhonda Thompson Promotions)

For more information – visit www.SouthernGospelNews.com.