SGN Scoops Digital

February 2010 Issue now available!

The February 2010 issue of SGN Scoops is now available for download. Click on the cover to read your issue in .PDF format.

In a month known for love, we celebrate some of the ladies of Southern Gospel Music – legends like Debra & Lauren Talley and LeBreeska Hemphill, shining stars like Wendy Word, and lovely gospel wives like Tori Taff and Esther Liles. We also bring you the latest Scoops on Hinson Revival, love songs that lie, forgiveness, and Generation ‘Whine.’

THIS MONTH, VOTING CONTINUES FOR THE 2010 DIAMOND AWARDS. CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR TOP 10 FAVORITES IN EACH OF OUR CATEGORIES. 1st round write-in nominations end FEBRUARY 28!

Click here or on the cover preview to download.

Click here to subscribe – be notified when a new issue is published or news is announced.

Reader tips: SGN Scoops is interactive. Most web links in the magazine are live – click on them to follow to the listed website. All ads and many photos are clickable as well. You can also use our Table of Contents – page 4 – interactively. Click on the article title you want to read and you will be taken there. We think you should read them all!

SGN Scoops among nominees for SoGospelNews.com 2010 SGN Music Awards

SoGospelNews.com Announces Nominees for 2010 SGN Music Awards
The Perrys and Karen Peck & New River Earn Most Nominations Among Artists, while Producer/Songwriter Wayne Haun Lands Most Individual Nominations

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Deon and Susan Unthank, administrators of SoGospelNews.com, are proud to announce the nominees for the 2010 SGN Music Awards.  As in year’s past, the nominees were chosen by the staff of SoGospelNews.com and select media representatives.  Starting on February 1, 2010, the fans will get a chance to vote for their favorites in each category.

“We are so excited about this year’s SGN Music Awards,” responded Deon Unthank, administrator of SoGospelNews.com, the Southern Gospel industry’s largest e-zine.  “This is our ninth year to hand out our awards, and we believe the staff has once again outdone themselves in choosing this year’s nominees!”

As far as nominations go, two artists tied for the most nominations among performers this year.  Both The Perrys and Karen Peck & New River landed a stellar nine nominations apiece.  Both groups earned nods in the Song of the Year (“If You Knew Him” and “I Want to Thank You” respectively), Album of the Year (Almost Morning and No Worries respectively), Fan Favorite Artist of the Year, and Mixed Group of the Year categories.

2008’s Pacesetter the Dove Brothers earned eight nods – including Song of the Year (“Hold On”), Album of the Year (Hold On), and Special Event Project of the Year for their 10-year anniversary project Decennial.

Following behind those artists were Legacy Five, The Isaacs, and Booth Brothers with seven nominations apiece.  Triumphant Quartet and Brian Free & Assurance both landed six nominations.  Two artists received five nominations – the Bowling Family (formerly Mike & Kelly Bowling) and Talley Trio.

The Freemans, Jeff & Sheri Easter, and the Gaither Vocal Band all earned four nominations, while the Dixie Echoes, HisSong, Greater Vision, and Sisters earned three nods.

Several artists received double nominations, including the Kingdom Heirs, Gold City, The Greenes, the Ball Brothers, and McMillan & Life.

Songwriter and producer Wayne Haun earned the most individual nominations for his work during 2009.  In addition to landing in the Producer of the Year (Professional) category (an award he won in 2008), Wayne earned an additional eight nominations for his songwriting and production work this year. – including three separate nominations in the Album of the Year category (for producing The Perrys’ Almost Morning, Triumphant Quartet’s Everyday, and HisSong’s Journey Through the Sky).

Rodney Griffin earned six individual nominations for his songwriting work.

Earning five individual nominations were songwriters Marty Funderburk (2009’s Songwriter of the Year winner) and Rusty Golden. Gospel legend Bill Gaither, songwriter Joel Lindsey, and The Perrys’ lead singer Joseph Habedank all earned four individual nominations.  Dianne Wilkinson, Lari Goss, Ben Isaacs, Barry Weeks, Jason Crabb, Sonya Isaacs Yeary, and Gordon Mote all landed three individual nominations for their work in 2009.

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 2010 Pacesetter are new Gospel music celebration Branson Gospel Music Convention, Crossroads Music Group, SGShowPrep’s Chuck Peters, digital news outlet SGN Scoops Digital, and Vine Records.

More information on the 2010 SGN Music Awards Celebration will be forthcoming, including hosts, performers, and sponsors, etc.  The date for this year’s SGN Music Awards Celebration is Tuesday, April 13, 2010.  The event will again take place at the River of Life Church in Smyrna, Tennessee and is free to the public.

The nominees for the 2009 SGN Music Awards are listed below:

SONG OF THE YEAR:
“Die Another Day” – Brian Free & Assurance (M.Funderburk, J.Lemonis, B.Smith)
“Everyday” – Triumphant Quartet (D.Loggins, J.D.Martin)
“Hold On” – Dove Brothers (M.Dove)
“I Cast My Bread Upon the Water” – Gold City (J.Hemphill)
“I Want to Thank You” – Karen Peck & New River (R.Golden, J.Salley)
“If You Knew Him” – Perrys (R.Griffin, J.Habedank)
“It Pays to Pray” – Greater Vision (R.Griffin)
“Notified” – Mike & Kelly Bowling (R.Hinson)
“Stand By the River” – Greenes (D.Rambo)
“What Salvation’s Done For Me” – Booth Brothers (R.Golden, D.Wilkinson)

ALBUM OF THE YEAR:
Almost Morning – Perrys (W.Haun)
Everyday – Triumphant Quartet (W.Haun)
Expecting Good Things – Jeff & Sheri Easter (G.Cole, J.Easter, S.Easter)
Hold On – Dove Brothers (D.Crawford)
Journey Through the Sky – HisSong (W.Haun)
Just Stand – Legacy Five (L.Goss)
…Naturally – Isaacs (B.Gaither, B.Isaacs)
No Worries – Karen Peck & New River (M.Fain)
Reunited – Gaither Vocal Band (B.Gaither, D.Phelps)
Worth It – Brian Free & Assurance (B.Weeks)

PACESETTER:
Branson Gospel Music Convention
Crossroads Music Group
Chuck Peters (SGShowPrep)
SGN Scoops Digital
Vine Records

BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST:
Ball Brothers
Cross 4 Crowns
McMillan & Life
Sisters
Soul’d Out Quartet

MALE VOCALIST:
Mike Bowling (Bowling Family)
Jason Crabb
Michael English (Gaither Vocal Band)
Joseph Habedank (Perrys)
Bill Shivers (Brian Free & Assurance)

FEMALE VOCALIST:
Karen Peck Gooch (Karen Peck & New River)
TaRanda Greene (Greenes)
Janet Paschal
Lauren Talley (Talley Trio)
Sonya Isaacs Yeary (Isaacs)

MALE GROUP: (a tie necessitated 6 finalists)
Booth Brothers
Dove Brothers
Gaither Vocal Band
HisSong
Legacy Five
Triumphant Quartet

FEMALE GROUP:
Perry Sisters
Sisters
Sweetwater Revival

MIXED GROUP:
Bowling Family (formerly Mike & Kelly Bowling)
Karen Peck & New River
Isaacs
Perrys
Talley Trio

SONGWRITER (ARTIST):
Jim Brady (Booth Brothers)
Rodney Griffin (Greater Vision)
Joseph Habedank (Perrys)
Becky & Sonya Isaacs (Isaacs)
Kyla Rowland (Kyla Rowland & Deliverance)

SONGWRITER (PROFESSIONAL): 
(a tie necessitated 6 finalists)
Chris Binion
Marty Funderburk
Rusty Golden
Joel Lindsey
Rebecca J. Peck
Dianne Wilkinson

PRODUCER (ARTIST):
Darrell Freeman (Freemans)
Ben Isaacs (Isaacs)
Tim Parton (Legacy Five)
Arthur Rice (Kingdom Heirs)
Roger Talley (Talley Trio)

PRODUCER (PROFESSIONAL):
Donna Beauvais
Lari Goss
Wayne Haun
Michael Sykes
Barry Weeks

ENGINEER:
Steve Allen
Gus Gaches (Legacy Five)
Aaron Minick
Terry Thompson
Kevin Ward

MUSICIAN: 
(a tie necessitated 6 finalists)
Kim Collingsworth (Collingsworth Family)
Madison Easter (Jeff & Sheri Easter)
Bryan Elliott (Perrys)
Gordon Mote
Tim Parton (Legacy Five)
Stewart Varnado (Dixie Echoes)

TRADITIONAL SOUTHERN SONG:
“He Locked the Gates” – Kingdom Heirs (R.Griffin)
“I Believe In Prayer” – HisSong (D.Britt, W.Haun, J.Lindsey)
“If You Knew Him” – Perrys (R.Griffin, J.Habedank)
“It Pays to Pray” – Greater Vision (R.Griffin)
“When the Trumpet Sounds” – Triumphant Quartet (W.Haun, J.Lindsey)

TRADITIONAL SOUTHERN ALBUM:
Almost Morning – Perrys (W.Haun)
Everyday – Triumphant Quartet (W.Haun)
I’d Rather Have Jesus – Dixie Echoes (R.Shelnut, R.Shelnut, Jr., S.Varnado)
Just Stand – Legacy Five (L.Goss)
When You Look at Me – Kingdom Heirs (J.Collins, A.Rice)

PROGRESSIVE SOUTHERN SONG:
“Die Another Day” – Brian Free & Assurance (M.Funderburk, J.Lemonis, B.Smith)
“Life Goes On” – Talley Trio (G.Boe, M.Funderburk)
“Notified” – Mike & Kelly Bowling (R.Hinson)
“What Salvation’s Done For Me” – Booth Brothers (R.Golden, D.Wilkinson)
“Why Can’t All God’s Children Get Along” – Karen Peck & New River (S.Hill)

PROGRESSIVE SOUTHERN ALBUM:
Breakthrough – Ball Brothers (D.Ruse, J.Webb)
No Worries – Karen Peck & New River (M.Fain)
Renewed – Sisters (H.Day, K.Lord, V.Ruppe)
Songs You Know By Heart – Talley Trio (R.Talley)
Worth It – Brian Free & Assurance (B.Weeks)

COUNTRY SONG: 
(a tie necessitated 6 finalists)
“A Little Good News” – Dove Brothers (C.Black, R.Bourke, T.Rocco)
“Born to Climb” – Jeff & Sheri Easter (W.Haun, J.Lindsey)
“I Want to Thank You” – Karen Peck & New River (R.Golden, J.Salley)
“Little Bit of Heaven” – Isaacs (S.I.Yeary)
“Three Wooden Crosses” – Freemans (M.Funderburk, R.Funderburk)
“What Children Believe” – Gold City (J.I.Elliott, B.Lamb, J.Salley)

COUNTRY ALBUM:
Expecting Good Things – Jeff & Sheri Easter (G.Cole, J.Easter, S.Easter)
Hold On – Dove Brothers (D.Crawford)
I Will Sing – Gordon Mote (P.Johnson, G.Mote)
Jason Crabb – Jason Crabb (J.Crabb, T.Simms, N.Wilson)
…Naturally – Isaacs (B.Gaither, B.Isaacs)

SPECIAL EVENT PROJECT:
Christmas Memories – Freemans (D.Freeman)
Decennial – Dove Brothers (M.Dove)
Gaither Vocal Band Reunion, Vol. 1 & 2 – Gaither Vocal Band (B.Gaither)
Jubilee! – Booth Brothers, Greater Vision, Legacy Five (G.Wolfe)
Live At the Oak Tree (series) – Daywind Records (P.Corley, T.Corley, S.Lancaster, N.Holland, M.Turner)

BEST LIVE PERFORMER:
Booth Brothers
Dixie Echoes
Dove Brothers
Freemans
Karen Peck & New River

FAN FAVORITE ARTIST OF THE YEAR:
Beyond the Ashes
Booth Brothers
Bowling Family (formerly Mike & Kelly Bowling)
Brian Free & Assurance
Dove Brothers
Karen Peck & New River
McMillan & Life
Perrys
Tribute Quartet
Triumphant Quartet

January’s SGN Scoops & Diamond Award voting!

The January 2010 issue of SGN Scoops is now available for download. Click on the cover to read your issue in .PDF format.

For this month, we focused on the family & feature interviews with some of gospel music’s favorite clans: The Lesters, The Collinsworths, The Wills,  The Stutzmans,  The Unthanks/Sunday Edition, and Ron Brewer. We heard some ‘fun’ road stories from The Glovers, as well. We also tackle issues that affect families, from January blahs to teaching children the gospel, from dealing with cancer to dealing with drug abuse. We’re also happy to feature fitness advise from a Christian perspective.

ALSO TODAY, VOTING BEGINS FOR THE 2010 DIAMOND AWARDS. CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR TOP 10 FAVORITES IN EACH OF OUR CATEGORIES.

Click here or on the cover preview to download.

Click here to subscribe – be notified when a new issue is published or news is announced.

Reader tips: SGN Scoops is interactive. Most web links in the magazine are live – click on them to follow to the listed website. All ads and many photos are clickable as well. You can also use our Table of Contents – page 4 – interactively. Click on the article title you want to read and you will be taken there. We think you should read them all!

Send Christmas Greetings with December’s SGN Scoops

Contact rob at rob@sgnscoops.com

November SGN Scoops is now available!

The November edition of SGN Scoops is now available!

We talked to Karen Peck about being the new – & first female – president of the Southern Gospel Music Association.

We follow Ron Blackwood & the Blackwood Quartet to the Farm Aid Stage.

We introduce you to a convention that ministers to artists and new faces of southern gospel.

We also include recipes you shared, a letter to southern gospel wives, and viewpoints on Christian artists in Hollywood and sharing a Christian Thanksgiving with non-Christian relatives.

We also let you know about some cool places to go.. in Louisville & Idaho.

We have packed Scoops this month with people we’d love for you to meet & stuff we’d like to share. Check it out now.. and tell your friends!

Click here or on the cover preview to download.

Click here to subscribe – be notified when a new issue is published or news is announced.

Reader tips: SGN Scoops is interactive. Most web links in the magazine are live – click on them to follow to the listed website. All ads are clickable as well. You can also use our Table of Contents – page 4 – interactively. Click on the article title you want to read and you will be taken there. We think you should read them all

Focus on the Family Radio Theatre® introduces first-ever full-cast dramatization of the C.S. Lewis classic

NOTE TOC.S. LEWIS FANS: OUR COLUMNIST USES SCREWTAPE & WORMWOOD TO DISCUSS THE DAN BROWN NOVEL ANGELS AND DEMONS IN THIS MONTHS SCOOPS > CHECK IT OUT ON PAGE 14 OF THIS MONTH’S SCOOPS.

‘The Screwtape Letters’ Stars Andy Serkis from ‘The Lord of the Rings’

Colorado Springs, CO – The Devil is back in time for Halloween in C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters, an audio production from Peabody-award-winning Focus on the Family Radio Theatre®. The full-cast dramatization of the diabolical classic debuted worldwide today.

Hosted by C.S. Lewis’ stepson, Douglas Gresham, and starring Andy Serkis (Gollum, The Lord of the Rings) as the voice of Screwtape, The Screwtape Letters was recorded in London by world-class actors with an original score and motion picture quality sound design, and includes a “making of” DVD that features footage from C.S. Lewis’ home, church and other frequented locations. Also included are a bonus CD of 10 original songs and a collector’s booklet.

The Screwtape story centers around correspondence shared between Screwtape, a senior demon, and Wormwood, his apprentice, as Screwtape mentors Wormwood in the skills necessary to entrap, dominate and torture humans. Most of the 31 letters lead into dramatic scenes set either in hell or World War II-era London. In writing this masterpiece, Lewis re-imagined hell as a gruesome bureaucracy with demons laboring in a vast enterprise. Avoiding their own painful torment, as well as a desire for control, is what drives demons to persecute their “patients.”

Anticipation for the release of Screwtape has been building among audio enthusiasts as well as Lord of the Rings and C.S. Lewis fans. An entire Web site (www.screwtape.com) was built to support the production’s debut, providing downloadable ringtones, avatars and wallpaper. Fans can also follow conversations between Screwtape and Wormwood on Twitter.

“Bringing The Screwtape Letters to the world of audio drama has been a career dream,” said director Paul McCusker. “To work with this caliber of cast and crew on such a beloved classic is an unparalleled experience. And the themes are timeless. The struggles, fears and failures addressed in this work still plague humanity today. In our culture, we’re hesitant to talk about evil. Here, in the character of Screwtape, evil speaks for itself.”

The Screwtape Letters was produced by Focus on the Family Radio Theatre® and is distributed by Tyndale, with full authorization from the C.S. Lewis estate. For more information on The Screwtape Letters, or to schedule an interview with a member of the Radio Theatre team, contact Lisa Anderson at 719-548-5883 or lisa.anderson@fotf.org.

October’s SGN Scoops is now available

The October edition of SGN Scoops is now available!

We talked to HisSong about their trip to Norway & debut on the NQC mainstage.

We roamed NQC and spoke with Jason Crabb, Reba Rambo McGuire, The Quicks, and many more.

Read about industry happenings, like regional conventions and the recently held Elijah Conference.

Check out what Christian writers have to say about the author of The Da Vinci Code, bargain hunting, and depression.

We have packed Scoops this month with people we’d love for you to meet & stuff we’d like to share. Check it out now.. and tell your friends!

Click here or on the cover preview to download.

Click here to subscribe – be notified when a new issue is published or news is announced.

Reader tips: SGN Scoops is interactive. Most web links in the magazine are live – click on them to follow to the listed website. All ads are clickable as well. You can also use our Table of Contents – page 4 – interactively. Click on the article title you want to read and you will be taken there. We think you should read them all

Read the ALL NEW SGN SCOOPS – now!

We just published the September 2009 Edition of SGN Scoops – this groundbreaking magazine, the first all-digital Southern Gospel publication – has been given a refreshing… new content, a new look, and more ways to interact.

This issue features interviews with Chris Hester, the Stamps, Kenny Bishop, & more – plus a recap of the Diamond Awards, a look inside NQC, and an EXCLUSIVE video from the opening night of Branson Gospel Music Convention. We’re also proud to have several columnists offering fresh insights into southern gospel & Christian culture.

Download it now!

An all new Scoops.

SGN Scoops is under new ownership. We are working on our format and on an all new issue debuting in September. Stay tuned to this site for more!