The Grammy Awards introduced a seventh category to highlight gospel music as nominees were announced for the 47th Annual Grammy Awards on Tuesday (Dec. 7).
The new "Best Gospel Performance" category will honor solo, duo and group work in collaborative performances and include nominations of singles or tracks with vocals containing gospel lyrics. The awards ceremony, to be broadcast live on CBS, will be held Feb. 13 in Los Angeles.
The first nominees are: Shirley Caesar and Ann Nesby ("The Stone"); Ray Charles and Gladys Knight ("Heaven Help Us All"); Dr. John and Mavis Staples ("Lay My Burden Down"); Fred Hammond ("Celebrate (He Lives)"); and Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama ("There Will Be a Light").
Other nominations in the traditional gospel categories are as follows:
Best rock gospel album: "Take Me Away" by Sarah Kelly; "Collide" by Skillet; "Lose This Life" by Tait; "Wire" by Third Day; "Welcome to Diverse City" by tobyMac; "Holy Hip Hop `Taking the Gospel to the Streets'" by various artists.
Best pop/contemporary gospel album: "The Creed" by Avalon; "All Things New" by Steven Curtis Chapman; "Who We Are Instead" by Jars of Clay; "Everyday People" by Nicole C. Mullen; "Rising Son" by RainSong.
Best Southern, country or bluegrass gospel album: "Driven" by the Crabb Family; "20th Century Gospel: From Hymns to Blackwood Brothers Tribute to Christian Country" by the Jordanaires, Art Greenhaw and the Light Crust Doughboys and Nokie Edwards; "Universal House of Prayer" by Buddy Miller; "Worship & Faith" by Randy Travis; "Amazing Grace 3: A Country Salute to Gospel" by various artists.
Best traditional soul gospel album: "The Live Experience" by the Rance Allen Group; "There Will be a Light" by Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama; "The Water I Give" by Dottie Peoples; "The Praise & Worship Songs" by Richard Smallwood; "Still Here" by the Williams Brothers.
Best contemporary soul gospel album: "Somethin' 'bout Love" by Fred
Hammond; "Live From Another Level" by Israel and New Breed; "He-Motions" by Bishop T.D. Jakes; "Nothing Without You" by Smokie Norful; "Out the Box" by Tonex and the Peculiar People.
Best gospel choir or chorus album: "Can't Nobody Do Me Like Jesus" by Shabach Praise Co.; "Live in New York" by New York Fellowship Mass Choir II; "Live ... This Is Your House" by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir; "Spirit & Truth" by New Birth Total Praise Choir; "Unplugged ... The Way Church Used to Be" by New Generation Chorale.
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