GRAMMY WATCH – Gospel and Christian Contemporary Music Categories: My Picks and Predictions

Here are my picks and predictions for the Gospel and Christian Contemporary Music categories for The 58^th Annual Grammy Awards.

Best Gospel Performance/Song
• Worth [Live]
      Anthony Brown & Group Therapy
      Anthony Brown & Group Therapy; Anthony Brown, songwriter
      Track from: Everyday Jesus [Live]
      [Tyscot Records; Publisher(s): Key Of A Music/Tyscot Music]

• Wanna Be Happy?
      Kirk Franklin
      Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin, songwriter
      [RCA Records/Fo Yo Soul Recordings; Publisher(s): Aunt Gertrude Music Publishing admin. by Universal Music-Brentwood Benson Songs and Irving Music, Inc. admin. by Universal Music Publishing]

• Intentional
      Travis Greene
      Travis Greene; Travis Greene, songwriter
      [RCA Inspiration; Publisher(s): Greenlight InternationalVNavidavi Music]

• How Awesome Is Our God [Live]
      Israel & Newbreed Featuring Yolanda Adams
      Israel & Newbreed Featuring Yolanda Adams; Neville Diedericks, Israel Houghton & Meleasa Houghton, songwriters
      Track from: Covered: Alive In Asia [Live] (Deluxe)
      [RGM Newbreed/RCA Inspiration; Publisher(s): Integrity’s Praise! Music, RGM-Newbreed Publishing, Sound Of The New Breed, Aaron Lindsey Publishing, CCMG Publishing, Neville D. Publishing]

• Worth Fighting For [Live]
      Brian Courtney Wilson
      Brian Courtney Wilson; Aaron Lindsey & Brian Courtney Wilson, songwriters
      Track from: Worth Fighting For [Live]
      [Motown Gospel; Publisher(s): ACER/Aaron Lindsey Music/Capitol Christian Music Publishing admin. by Capitol CMG]

My Pick and Prediction: HOW AWESOME IS OUR GOD? [LIVE] – Awesome pretty much sums it up, though Kirk Franklin should not be counted out entirely.

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Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
• Holy Spirit
      Francesca Battistelli
      Francesca Battistelli
      Track from: If We're Honest (Deluxe Edition)
      [Fervent/Curb/Word]

• Lift Your Head Weary Sinner (Chains)
      Crowder
      Crowder; Ed Cash, David Crowder & Seth Philpott, songwriters
      Track from: Neon Steeple (Deluxe Edition)
      [sixstepsrecords/Sparrow Records; Publisher(s): sixsteps Music/worshiptogether.com Songs/sixsteps Songs/Worship Together Music admin. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com/Alletrop Music]

• Because He Lives (Amen)
      Matt Maher
      Matt Maher
      Track from: Saints And Sinners
      [Essential Records/Provident Label Group]

• Soul On Fire
      Third Day Featuring All Sons & Daughters
      Third Day Featuring All Sons & Daughters; Tai Anderson, Brenton Brown, David Carr, Mark Lee, Matt Maher & Mac Powell, songwriters
      Track from: Lead Us Back: Songs Of Worship (Deluxe)
      [Essential Records/Provident Label Group; Publisher(s): DATAMAMA MUSIC, Thankyou Music, Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, I Am A Pilgrim Songs]

• Feel It
      Tobymac Featuring Mr. Talkbox
      Tobymac Featuring Mr. Talkbox; Cary Barlowe, David Arthur Garcia & Toby McKeehan, songwriters
      [ForeFront Records; Publisher(s): Achtober Songs/Universal Music - Brentwood Benson Publishing/D Soul Music admin. by CapitolCMGPublishing.com/Castle Bound Music, Inc./We Be Pawtying]

My Pick and Prediction: SOUL ON FIRE

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Best Gospel Album
• Destined To Win [Live]
      Karen Clark Sheard
      [Karew Records/Entertainment One]

• Living It
      Dorinda Clark-Cole
      [Entertainment One/Light Records]

• One Place Live
      Tasha Cobbs
      [Motown Gospel]

• Covered: Alive In Asia [Live] (Deluxe)
      Israel & Newbreed
      [RGM Newbreed/RCA Inspiration]

• Life Music: Stage Two
      Jonathan McReynolds
      [Entertainment One/Tehillah Music]

My Pick and Prediction: COVERED: ALIVE IN ASIA [LIVE] {(Deluxe) – Career turn, totally brought Gospel music to a whole new audience and that spirit of evangelization should be rewarded.  Though, this is a very tight category in my eyes. I think Israel & Newbreed’s broadening their scope AND audience will rise to the top for the win.

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Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
• Whatever The Road
      Jason Crabb
      [Reunion Records/Provident Label Group]

• How Can It Be
      Lauren Daigle
      [Centricity Music]

• Saints And Sinners
      Matt Maher
      [Essential Records/Provident Label Group]

• This Is Not A Test
      Tobymac
      [ForeFront Records]

• Love Ran Red
      Chris Tomlin
      [sixstepsrecords/Sparrow Records]

My Pick: LOVE RAN RED

My Prediction: THIS IS NOT A TEST

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Best Roots Gospel Album
• Still Rockin' My Soul
      The Fairfield Four
      The Fairfield Four
      [Fairfield Four Records]

• Pray Now
      Karen Peck & New River
      Karen Peck & New River
      [Daywind Records]

• Directions Home (Songs We Love, Songs You Know)
      Point Of Grace
      Point Of Grace
      [Word/Curb]

My Pick and Prediction: DIRECTIONS HOME (SONGS WE LOVE, SONGS YOU KNOW)

THE 58^TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS will be telecast live on CBS, Monday February 15, 2016 at 8PM/EST – PM/PST.  For everything GRAMMY, including a Full List of this year’s Nominees visit their website at http://www.grammy.com/

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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.