Southern Gospel News SGNScoops Digital

THE HOPPERS SCORE 42ND ANNUAL GMA DOVE AWARD NOMINATIONS

NASHVILLE, TENN. – February 17, 2011 – The legendary Hoppers received two nominations for the 2011 42nd Annual GMA Dove Awards, according to announcements made at a press conference yesterday in Atlanta, GA, at the Fox Theatre’s Grand Salon.

The Hoppers picked up nominations in the Country Recorded Song of the Year category for “Living in the Arms of Mercy,” written by Joel Lindsey and Jeff Silvey, as well as in the Southern Gospel Album of the Year category for their project Something’s Happening (Spring Hill Music), produced and arranged by Lari Goss. The release features tunes penned by other acclaimed writers including Bill Gaither, Tony Wood, Kyla Rowland, Rusty Golden, Dianne Wilkinson, Gerald Crabb, Gina Vera and others.

“We are so excited and blessed by this,” stated Connie Hopper. “The confidence in us shown by our peers through these nominations is humbling, and we would like to thank the GMA for these recognitions…to receive this kind of ‘pat on the back’ from those around us spurs us on!”

These nominations come on the heels of The Hoppers’ 2010 additions to their mantle of awards with fan awards for Favorite Soprano of the Year (Kim), Favorite Mixed Group of the Year and Favorite Female Artist (Kim). The Hoppers also hit the BILLBOARD Magazine charts in recent months with the release of THE GAITHER GOSPEL SERIES: THE BEST OF THE HOPPERS (Gaither Music Group). The DVD soared to #2 on the magazine’s video chart while the CD entered the BILLBOARD Heatseeker chart at #4. Additionally, the CD entered the Nielsen SoundScan southern Gospel chart at #1 and the Contemporary Christian chart at #10.

Something’s Happening, available online and at retailers everywhere, is distributed by EMI CMG.

For further information regarding The Hoppers, please visit www.TheHoppers.com, www.twitter.com/HoppersMusic and www.facebook.com/thehoppers.

The 42nd Annual GMA Dove Awards will be held at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Ga. on Wednesday, April 20th. The awards show will be televised on GMC at 8:00p.m. ET/delayed PT on Easter Sunday, April 24th. GMC can be seen in 47 million homes on various cable systems around the country, on DIRECTV on channel 338 and on Verizon FiOS on channel 224. Visit GMClife.com

About The Hoppers
Formed in North Carolina in1957 (originally as The Hopper Brothers and Connie), The Hoppers have been a Gospel music mainstay for over 50 years. This family group, consisting of Claude, Connie, Dean, Kim and Mike, is known for a string of hits including “Here I Am”, “Anchor to the Power of the Cross”, “Shoutin’ Time,” “Yes I Am,” ”Mention My Name,” “Jerusalem” and “Yaweh.” In addition to radio success, The Hoppers have received numerous accolades including Mixed Group of the Year from the Singing News Fan Awards, the SGMA, Hearts Aflame Awards and Diamond Awards as well as six GMA DOVE Award nominations. Connie was presented with the prestigious Marvin Norcross Award; Michael has received the Musician of the Year Award from The Singing News Fan Awards; and Kim has been honored as Female Vocalist and Favorite Soprano for well over a decade.