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!â€
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 Onâ€), 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