Although Kentucky native Jason Crabb trotted away with the coveted artist of the year honors at the 43rd Annual GMA Dove Awards, Georgia Christian musicians were bestowed with a bounty of accolades during Thursday night's presentations.
Laura Story, a worship leader at Perimeter Church in Johns Creek, snagged four Dove trophies – the most of any artist – with three of them in recognition for “Blessings,” the simple and thoughtful song that chronicles her personal struggles, and the album bearing the same name.
Along with winning song of the year, pop/contemporary song of the year and pop/contemporary album of the year, Story also earned a nod for songwriter of the year, a fan-voted award.
Backstage, wearing a black dress she said she bought the night before the ceremony, the pregnant Story said she was honored to be in categories with “such amazing women,” such as Jamie Grace Harper and Francesca Battistelli, fellow Atlanta-area residents.
Story also disclosed that she and husband Martin are having a baby girl, due in September.
During the two-hour show, which was taped live at the Fox Theatre and will air on Tuesday on GMC, co-hosts Chonda Pierce, the comedian known as “The Queen of Clean Comedy,” and actor/singer David Mann, who recently starred in “Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns,” kept the proceedings light.
“This is the only award show in the country that Lionel Richie isn’t at,” Pierce joked.
Performances included a show-opening collection of belters -- Crystal Lewis, Yolanda Adams, Angie Stone and Dahlonega’s Karen Peck -- who paid tribute to Whitney Houston with “I Go to the Rock,” the Dottie Rambo song Houston performed on the soundtrack to “The Preacher’s Wife.” Other notable live moments came with a Crabb-led homage to Russ Taff and a compilation performance from former “American Idol” contestants including Mandisa and Ruben Studdard.
It wasn’t the last time that Peck fans would see of the blond firecracker; she and her group, New River, scored a Dove for Southern gospel album of the year for “Reach Out.” During the non-televised pre-show, Peck and Co. also won the first-ever Dove in the group’s 21-year-history for country song of the year (“Good Things Are Happening”).
Other firsts came for Atlanta rapper Lecrae, who nabbed a pair of Doves for rap/hip-hop album of the year (“Rehab: The Overdose”) and rap/hip-hop song of the year for “Hallelujah,” which he unleashed in a fiery live performance as well.
“The fact that this ragtag group of individuals doing this type of music has been able to have an impact and change lives ... I’m grateful that it’s being celebrated,” the lanky, bespectacled rapper said backstage.
And Jamie Grace, the Point University student enjoying a breakthrough year with her album “One Song at a Time,” was christened new artist of the year by the Doves.
Grace burst into tears upon hearing her name called and then unfurled an endearing acceptance speech that name-checked her parents, Reba McEntire and Chick-fil-A.
“My prom was here four years ago at the Fox and my mom used to bring me to musicals here. This is a dream come true,” she told the audience.
Story’s pal – and Johns Creek neighbor – Chris Tomlin also collected a Dove for “And if Our God is For Us ... ,” in the praise and worship album of the year category.
Also, a slew of Atlanta-area artists shared in the award for special event album of the year for “The Story.” Among the team behind the recording are Mark Hall and Megan Garrett from Casting Crowns, Lecrae, Tomlin, Mac Powell from Third Day and Battistelli.
This is the second consecutive year the Dove Awards were held in Atlanta, after a long history of being held in Tennessee. Last year’s show drew a record 1.5 million viewers.
For more on the backstage happenings at the Dove Awards, visit the Atlanta Music Scene blog at www.accessatlanta.com
TV preview
“43rd Annual GMA Dove Awards"
8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Tuesday on GMC
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