Tonight, Jesusfreakhideout.com’s Ryan Barbee is blogging LIVE from the 43rd Annual GMA Dove Awards!! Tune in and post comments this evening! Blogging will start soon!
10:06 – Well folks… we lost the feed… and the show is now over. It was a much faster paced show this year which i think everyone appreciates but I can’t say I’m really blown away by the results. It seems that a ton of excellent talent gets overlooked but “that’s life.” Some of the greats will never receive their just reward but until then – we fight on!
Until next year.
10:03 – The feed is still down folks… sorry for the lack of updates.
10:00 – Montell Jordan just said, “I didn’t transition from Secular to Christian… I left the music industry and went into ministry.” Cool.
9:58 – Mandisa just gave great wisdom about how to stay faithful and livea life of integrity… “Choose good friends.” Not just an idea folks.
9:56 – The feed is down still… no bueno GMA… no bueno…. still love you but no bueno.
9:54 – Mandisa says that she bets we’ll be seeing Colton Dixon here at the Doves next year. She’s also hoping to do a collaboration with Lecrae and Tedashi and Mary Mary. Make it happen folks. That would be amazing.
9:51 – Mandisa is back stage now, she killed it up on stage. (The room is filled with “go girl.”)
9:48 – The feed has gone down… hopefully it’ll be back up soon…
9:45 – Michael Tait, Group 1 Crew, and Todd Smith are in the press room. Tait commands the stage. (in a good way… he truly is a living legend!)
9:40 – Reuben Studdard is on the stage and he sounds amazing. It’s not fair that people can sing that well. All of the AI alumni, have blown away the crowd.
9:36 – Now the American Idol performers… my guesses were right. (I’m not normally right in everyday things.)
9:31 – Montell Jordan and the wrestler that could break my bones by just looking at me are announcing the winner of Rap/Hip Hop song of the year.
The award goes to Lecrae! Woot woot! Congrats man!
9:25 – Natalie Grant is on stage now… and she is obviously bringing down the house. It’s how she rolls. And that’s why she can win the Female Vocalist of the Year award!
9:24 – Whoever is performing on stage is getting some intense looks from the crowd. People look scared. Just found out that it’s Todd Smith.
9:22 – Wes Morgan is back in the press room sharing how honored he was to participate in the tribute to Russ Taff. Really humbling.
9:18 – The Newsboys are performing now. It is always an amazing show with them. Michael Tait could sing the ABC’s and it would deserve a Dove. Just sayin’.
9:11 – Male vocalist of the year Jason Crabb. I was hoping for Chris August. Dagnabit. At least Jason has a cool jacket. Patches on the elbows… very cool.
9:07 – Mary Mary has taken the stage and the bass is shaking the walls. That’s what I’m talking about. (Or if you’re a Lord of the Rings fan… Tolkein about… I know… It’s lame.)
9:01 – Russ Taff is back here now. And it looks like he brought a posse.
9:00 – Laura Story just announced that she found out that she is having a girl. The due date is September 12th.
8:57 – Story has received 4 Doves already… craziness.
8:55 – Laura Story has just come back into the press room and man the journalists flock to the stage like moths to a flame.
8:52 – David Mann takes an opportunity to thank the Dove’s Music Director and the All Nations Choir (which he said was “All Black.”) Chonda and David are some of the edgiest people to host the Doves! So hilarious! Chonda has no filter! Hahaha! She just said about Southern Gospel Music “That’s where the old ladies play piano and then… they die.” MY GOODNESS! Amazing!
8:51 – Chonda has changed wardrobe, “We rednecks clean up… especially when someone else is buying the clothes.”
8:48 – Southern Gospel Album of the Year goes to… Karen Peck… Like i said before, Southern Gospel isn’t my jam but i can appreciate it. It’s their first Dove award in 20 years – that’s crazy.
8:47 – They just called for some presenters and… welp… it looks like they’re not coming. That’s no good.
8:47 – They’re transitioningh some stage stuff… TV makes it go a lot faster than it actually is.
8:45 – Kari Jobe is wrapping up her performance. This ball is rolling tonight – which is great. Especially since last year, it went till 12.
8:39 – They are now announcing Song of the Year… my fingers are crossed for “Blessings.” And it goes to… Blessings! Woot woot!
8:36 – It feed from backstage is going in and out… so I’m not sure what’s up next. On another note, Jayme Grace is backstage and apologizing for skipping one of her college classes this morning. She said she forgot to give her professors a shout out.
8:35 – KIA Motors Marketer is joining them on stage… they sponsored the event so this is their time for a short infomercial i guess.
8:33 – Chonda is going to get herself and David Mann in trouble, but she said, “I don’t care. I ain’t got no record deal.” Classic!!
8:32 – Some American Idol alumni are going to be performing soon. Everyone in the press room is guess who it’s gonna be. My guesses: Reuben Studdard, Mandisa, Phil Stacey, and Danny Gokey.
8:30 – Tedashi is joining him now – so bad to the bone!
8:29 – I hope they include subtitles for the broadcast because it would look amazing. Lecrae’s blowing it up on the stage.
8:28 – Lecrae is taking the stage! Always a pleasure.
8:26 – Michael Tait and Jaci Valesquez just announced that Jamie Grace just won New Artist of the Year…. I was hoping for The City Harmonic, but it’s all good. Congrats Jamie!
8:21 – David Mann can’t stop talking about his wife. (Woot woot!) He’s celebrating 24 years of marriage and he says the key to marriage is, “keep loving each other… and she beats me.” Haha.
8:18 – Russ is now saying his speech. What a passionate guy. You would think you would have just walked into a pentacostal church. Everyone’s stomping their feet. “I’m proud to sing about the one who makes all things new.” <- Awesome quote!
8:17 – And now Russ Taff is singing with them… man – the guy’s still got it. Okay… he’s rockin’ it. Now it’s amazing. Such a great moment.
8:15 – Now all three and a choir are singing together. I think the opening trio was better but Donnie is killin’ it! The camera is going back and forth from the stage to Russ Taff. He looks pleased with the performance.
8:14 – Wes Morgan is singing now… he looks like a football player.
8:12 – Donnie McClurkin is up next – power voice!
8:10 – They are now honoring Russ Taff and his legendary career in Christian music by performing a few of his songs. Jason Crabb is singing first… i hope there’s a paramedic in the crowd. His face is redder than Bob the Tomato.
8:07- Contemporary Gospel album of the year award goes to… Kirk Franklin’s “Hello Fear.” (I think he knew that was coming.) Why? because he wears cool clothes.
8:05 – David Mann, just mentioned how his wife Tamela plays his daughter on Meet the Browns. Chonda asked if he was born in Kentucky.
“Girl… you look like an apple. I just wanna bite you.” (David talking to Tamela as she walked on stage.)
8:04 – Excellent performance by The Isaacs, make sure not to miss it! Wow.
8:00 – The Isaacs are taking the stage now, more of a bluegrass performance. Wow – they sound excellent. Rock that mandolin!
7:59 – You’ll notice a lot of “…” tonight. If you were here you would be doing them too.
7:57 – Natalie just thanked her husband and said that she married up. Good to hear of good marriages! (on a side note… it smells like a buffet restaurant in here… now i’m hungry.)
7:56 – Female Vocalist of the year… I’m guessing Laura Story (and she would deserve it)… and it goes to… Natalie Grant. Dang – whaddayoudo? But still, congrats to Natalie!
7:55 – Chonda just said that 27 pairs of spanks were involved in the opening act. HAHAHAHAHA! Everybody is blushing.
7:53 – Chonda just said that this is the only award show where it encompases every genre. (I’m not sure that’s true… but whatevs.)
7:52 – And now for Chonda and David Mann!! I’m preparing for a gut-busting night.
7:49 – A choir! Expect great things for the opener. And then there was Southern Gospel… not a big fan – but it still sounds good.
7:46 – Yolanda Adams and two other singers are opening up the show… dang… i mean dang… where’s my tissue? Well done ladies.
7:44 – NOW WE BEGIN!!! THE SHOW!!!!! SCREAM!!!! AHHHHH!
7:41 – The chairman is getting teary eyed as he thanks his wife… good man.
7:39 – The GMA Chairman is welcoming everyone. He’s really excited obviously… I can see his veins in his forehead. Preach Preacha!
7:38 – Here we go… IT BEGINS NIGH!!!!!
7:36 – They’re doing the applause runs right now. It’s kind of cheating but kind of cool at the same time. I won’t judge… but only because I applauded too.
7:33 – I’m drowning in a sea of people. But thankfully I’ve just heard that The City Harmonic might stop by and see us tonight. That would be wonderful!
7:23 – Just got the run-down on how it’s going tonight. My fingers are ready to type a tempest of words. Brace for impact.
7:20 – Okay… it’s official… It’s ridiculously packed in here. (pronounced “cheer”) I’m ready to get this show on the road… 4 hours sitting in a chair watching Billy and Bobby Reporter take pictures in front of the GMA Dove Awards/KIA poster. (Granted… I did take a few pictures in front of it too… however my pictures are neither serious nor flattering.)
6:42 – The press room is getting packed. And yes… I am one of the few that has my computer plugged up. It’s a beautiful thing to have a full battery.
6:03 – People are starting to file back into the press room little by little. The tension is starting rise.
5:08 – Everyone is breaking for lunch. In about an hour and a half the festivities will really kick off. Woohoo!
4:33 – Plumb is in the press room right now – someone asked what brand of clothing she was wearing… her response, “TJ MAXX.” Classy.
4:25 – Lecrae’s shirt says “Pure Hip Hop Nutrition Facts” – that’s awesome. He also just stated that Hip-Hop is really starting to make in an impact in Christendom.
“Awards are just things we get to lay at the feet of the Father.”
4:22 – Lecrae is in the press room right now. Always a humble dude and rockin’ his Rap/Hip-Hop Album of the year award. He is in the studio now recording a new album and possibly some free tunes coming out soon.
4:15 – It’s so loud in the press room… Best songwriter of the year is… Laura Story! I have a feeling we’ll be hearing that name all night. Haha!
4:10 – Chonda is practicing on the stage… she is the epitome of comedy! Can’t wait to hear her host tonight with David Mann (who is the man – coincidently.)
3:57 – Someone just scolded the press people… I feel like I’m in the 8th grade again. I just dared him to give me a detention… not really but I’m considering suggesting it.
3:49 – The press room is overloaded with people who want to take their picture in front of the Dove Award poster… I might take one later… I’ll make sure to strike an amazing pose.
3:47 – David Crowder’s “Oh For Joy” won the award for Best Christmas album. Congrats Crowder!!! Twas a good Christmas album indeed.
3:45 – Just got a great setup for the press room. It looks like two chairs against a wall being used for a desk… because it is two chairs against a wall being used for a desk. I call it a fashion statement “Vagabond Office.”
3:35 – Laura Story just said, “I’m hoping to just be a good mom.” The singer-songwriter is pregnant, on tour, a Grammy and Dove award winner, and has an extremely supportive husband. I think that’s pretty much a busy family.
3:30 – Just spoke with Laura Story. She said that she should win the award for worst “Acceptance speech”… haha whatever! Her song “Blessings” is great. She deserves a ton of awards for that song! Plus her and her husband are super humble. Congrats to Laura on winning the pre-show award for best Pop Contemporary Album and Recorded song of the year.
3:21 – There is a car on the stage… I know Kia is sponsoring the event but dude – isn’t that a little extreme?
3:15 – Alright folks… we are now live from the Dove Press Room… it’s pure chaos.