GRAMMY WATCH: Gospel Categories - Picks & Predictions

Traditionally crossover artists have fared very well in the Gospel categories like Amy Grant, Bebe & Cece Winans, Shirley Caesar, Ricky Skaggs and Lalah Hathaway - all nominees this year (some multiple times) and all with storied, well traveled careers. It should be a big night for these and other Gospel music artists. Praise God, it was a banner year!

Best Gospel Performance

My Pick: HE'S BEEN JUST THAT GOOD - Kirk Whalum & Lalah Hathaway Track from: The Gospel According To Jazz Chapter III [Rendezvous Music/ Mack Avenue Records]

My Prediction: GRACE - BeBe & CeCe Winans Track from: Still [B&C/Malaco]

Best Gospel Song

My Pick: IT'S WHAT I DO - Jerry Peters & Kirk Whalum, songwriters (Kirk Whalum &

Lalah Hathaway) Track from: The Gospel According To Jazz Chapter III [Rendezvous Music/ Mack Avenue Records; Publishers: Whalumusic/Jerry Peters Music]

My Prediction: RETURN TO SENDER - Gordon Kennedy, songwriter (Ricky Skaggs)

Track from: Mosaic [Skaggs Family Records; Publishers]

Best Rock Or Rap Gospel Album

My Pick: CHURCH MUSIC - David Crowder Band [Sparrow Records / Sixstepsrecords]

My Prediction: BEAUTIFUL THINGS - Gungor [Brash Music]

Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album

My Pick & Prediction: MOSAIC - Ricky Skaggs [Skaggs Family Records]

Best Southern, Country, Or Bluegrass Gospel Album

My Pick & Prediction: THE REASON - Diamond Rio [Word]

Although I liked Ty Herndon's Journey On too - it will be very close I think.

Best Traditional Gospel Album

This is a very competitive category this year, probably one of the most competitive one's in this category. Back in the day, Shirley Caesar was unbeatable and she is always my favorite. That being said, I think she may be sitting this one out.

My Pick: A CITY CALLED HEAVEN - Shirley Caesar [Light Records]

My Prediction: HERE I AM - Marvin Sapp [Verity]

Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album

My Pick & Prediction: STILL - BeBe & CeCe Winans [B&C/Malaco]

The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards will be telecast live on Sunday, February 13, 2011 on CBS at 8pm, EST. For complete coverage and a full list of nominees, please visit the Grammy website.