Yesterday evening, Singing News announced the top 5 nominees in the Singing News Fan Awards (). Here’s a list breaking down changes from 2012:

Favorite Artist

• Unchanged: Booth Brothers, Greater Vision, Perrys, Triumphant Qt
• 2013: Collingsworth Family
• 2012: Brian Free & Assurance

Favorite Traditional Quartet

• Unchanged: Kingdom Heirs, Legacy Five, Mark Trammell Qt, Triumphant Qt
• 2013: Brian Free & Assurance
• 2012: Inspirations

Favorite Mixed Group

• Unchanged: Collingsworth Family, Hoppers, Isaacs, McKameys, Perrys

Favorite Trio

• Unchanged: Booth Brothers, Greater Vision, Jeff & Sheri Easter, Karen Peck & New River, Whisnants

Favorite Soloist

• Unchanged: Mark Bishop, Jason Crabb, Ivan Parker, Guy Penrod
• 2013: TaRanda Greene
• 2012: Squire Parsons

Favorite Male Singer

• Unchanged: Ronnie Booth, Joseph Habedank, Ivan Parker, Arthur Rice
• 2013: Eric Bennett
• 2012: Gerald Wolfe

Favorite Female Singer

• Unchanged: Sheri Easter, Karen Peck Gooch, Kim Hopper, Libbi Stuffle
• 2013: TaRanda Greene
• 2012: Susan Whisnant

Favorite Young Artist

• Unchanged: Morgan Easter, Trey Ivey, Amber Thompson, Jordan Wilburn
• 2013: Olivia Collingsworth
• 2012: Phillip Collingsworth

The Collingsworth Family has had a completely unprecedented streak of three consecutive wins for three consecutive siblings – Brooklyn, Courtney, and, last year, Phillip. Will they manage a complete run with Olivia this year?

Favorite Tenor

• Unchanged: Chris Allman, Michael Booth, Brian Free, David Phelps, David Sutton

Favorite Lead

• Unchanged: Ronnie Booth, Joseph Habedank, Clayton Inman, Arthur Rice
• 2013: Gerald Wolfe
• 2012: Scott Fowler

Favorite Baritone

• Unchanged: Jim Brady, Rodney Griffin, Scott Inman, Mark Trammell
• 2013: Mark Lowry
• 2012: Scott Howard

Favorite Bass

• Unchanged: Pat Barker, Eric Bennett, Mike Holcomb, Tim Riley
• 2013: Tracy Stuffle
• 2012: Glenn Dustin

Favorite Soprano

• Unchanged: Lauren Talley Alvey, Brooklyn Collingsworth, Karen Peck Gooch, Kim Hopper, Sonya Isaacs Yeary

Favorite Alto

• Unchanged: Courtney Collingsworth, Sheri Easter, Connie Hopper, Libbi Stuffle, Susan Whisnant

Favorite Musician

• Unchanged: Kim Collingsworth, Gordon Mote, Jeff Stice, Kevin Williams
• 2013: Roger Fortner
• 2012: Stewart Varnado

Favorite Band

• Unchanged: Dove Brothers, Gaither Vocal Band, Isaacs, Kingdom Heirs, Primitive Quartet

Favorite Songwriter (Performing): 2013: Mark Bishop, Jim Brady, Rodney Griffin, Joseph Habedank, Scott Inman

Favorite Non-Performing Songwriter: 2013: Ricky Free, Marty Funderburk, Mosie Lister, Rebecca Peck, Dianne Wilkinson

The categories were split out from the combined 2012 category, Favorite Songwriter. Last year, the Favorite Songwriter nominees were Jim Brady, Rodney Griffin, Joseph Habedank, Scott Inman, and Dianne Wilkinson. Wilkinson was the only non-performing writer on the list; her move to the Favorite Non-Performing Songwriter category this year appears to have opened the door for Mark Bishop to make his way into the top 5.

Favorite Album

• Unchanged: Albums from Booth Brothers
• 2013: Hoppers, Brian Free & Assurance, Greater Vision, Perrys
• 2012: Legacy Five, Inspirations, Triumphant Quartet, Kingdom Heirs

Favorite Song

• Unchanged: Songs from Booth Brothers, Brian Free & Assurance, Greater Vision, Legacy Five, McKameys, Perrys, Triumphant Quartet
• 2013: Songs from Kingdom Heirs, Tribute Quartet, Whisnants
• 2012: Songs from Karen Peck & New River, Inspirations, Gold City

This year, the Horizon Group award was subdivided into four categories.

• Favorite New Traditional Quartet: Canton Junction, Carolina Boys, Old Paths, Paul’s Journey, Union Street
• Favorite New Mixed Group: Allen Family, Heaven’s Mountain Band, Mylon Hayes Family, Sneed Family, Taylors
• Favorite New Trio: 11th Hour, Beyond the Ashes, Freedom Trio, Hyssongs, Red Roots
• Favorite New Soloist: Chris Hester, Billy Hodges, Steve Ladd, Abby Paskvan, Angela Primm

Last year’s Horizon Group nominees were: Carolina Boys, Old Paths, Red Roots, Taylors, Wilburn & Wilburn. Of these five, WIlburn & Wilburn was automatically disqualified from eligibility this year by winning last year. The Old Paths, The Taylors, and Red Roots all make another appearance (one each in three different categories); the Carolina Boys do not.

Overall, there is very little change from last year’s top five. Other than a few changes prompted by personnel changes in the last twelve months, most of the changes are one familiar face for another. About the only two that might mark any significant shift in Singing News readers’ loyalties would be TaRanda Greene’s new top 5 nominations for soloist and female singer, and the Collingsworth Family’s top 5 appearance for favorite artist.

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Singing News announced the top 10 nominees for the 2013 Fan Awards yesterday afternoon. Among the most notable narratives to emerge this year are the emergence of the Old Paths and, carried over somewhat from last year, Tribute Quartet as new leaders in the genre. Also notable are the new names we see by Songwriter being split into two categories and Horizon Group category being broken into four.

Here’s a 2012/2013 comparison of all the categories (except for radio DJs):

Favorite Artist
2013: Collingsworth Family, Mark Trammell Qt, McKameys
2012: Hoppers, Inspirations, Legacy Five
Both: Booth Brothers, Brian Free & Assurance, Greater Vision, Kingdom Heirs, Ivan Parker, Perrys, Triumphant Quartet

Traditional Quartet
2013: Old Paths
2012: Blackwood Brothers
Both: Brian Free & Assurance, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Gold City, Inspirations, Kingdom Heirs, Legacy Five, Mark Trammell Qt, Tribute Qt, Triumphant Qt

Mixed Group
(no change)
Both: Browns, Collingsworth Family, Crist Family, Diplomats, Hoppers, Isaacs, McKameys, Perrys, Talleys, Taylors

Trio
2013: Red Roots, Three Bridges
2012: HisSong, Pfeifers
Both: Booth Brothers, Bowling Family, Greater Vision, Jeff & Sheri Easter, Karen Peck & New River, Nelons, Sisters, Whisnants

Soloist
2013: Michael Combs
2012: Janet Paschal
Both: Mark Bishop, Adam Crabb, Jason Crabb, TaRanda Greene, Marshall Hall, Ivan Parker, Squire Parsons, Guy Penrod, Charlotte Ritchie

Favorite Male Singer
2013: Eric Bennett, Guy Penrod
2012: Scott Fowler, Mark Trammell
Both: Michael Booth, Ronnie Booth, Jason Crabb, Brian Free, Joseph Habedank, Ivan Parker, Arthur Rice, Gerald Wolfe

Favorite Female Singer
2013: Connie Hopper
2012: Charlotte Ritchie
Both: Lauren Talley Alvey, Peg McKamey Bean, Sheri Easter, Karen Peck Gooch, TaRanda Greene, Kim Hopper, Libbi Perry Stuffle, Debra Talley, Susan Whisnant

Young Artist
2013: Daniel Ashmore (Old Paths), Michaela Brown, Olivia Collingsworth
2012: Adam Brown, Phil Collingsworth, Luke Vaught
Both: Riley Clark, Morgan Easter, Eli Fortner, Trey Ivey, Amber Thompson, Austin Whisnant, Jordan Wilburn

Tenor
2013: Riley Harrison Clark, Jeremy Peace
2012: Ernie Haase, Jodi Hosterman
Both: Chris Allman, Michael Booth, Brian Free, Gus Gaches, Jerry Martin, David Phelps, Eric Phillips, David Sutton

Lead
2013: Nick Trammell
2012: Dustin Sweatman
Both: Ronnie Booth, Gary Casto, Scott Fowler, Joseph Habedank, Clayton Inman, David Ragan, Arthur Rice, Bill Shivers, Gerald Wolfe

Baritone
2013: Mark Lowry
2012: Steve French
Both: Jim Brady, Jon Epley, Rodney Griffin, Scott Howard, Scott Inman, Derrick Selph, Josh Singletary, Mark Trammell, Bryan Walker

Bass
2013: Matt Fouch
2012: Glenn Dustin
Both: Pat Barker, Eric Bennett, Jeff Chapman, Anthony Davis, Mike Holcomb, Jeremy Lile, Ray Dean Reese, Tim Riley, Tracy Stuffle

Soprano
2013: Kelly Bowling, Shelly Brown, Mary Jane Carter
2012: Jackie Crist, Kim Ruppe Lord, Jessica Trammell
Both: Lauren Talley Alvey, Brooklyn Collingsworth, Connie Fortner, Karen Peck Gooch, Kim Hopper, Amber Thompson, Sonya Isaacs Yeary

Alto
(unchanged)
Both: Peg McKamey Bean, Kelly Nelon Clark, Courtney Collingsworth, Sheri Easter, Sheryl Farris, Connie Hopper, Susan Peck Jackson, Libbi Perry Stuffle, Debra Talley, Susan Whisnant

Musician
2013: Bryan Elliott, Matthew Holt
2012: Dennis Murphy, Stewart Varnado
Both: Kim Collingsworth, Roger Fortner, Trey Ivey, Gordon Mote, Josh Singletary, Jeff Stice, Andy Stringfield, Kevin Williams

Band
(unchanged)
Both: Dove Brothers, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Gaither Vocal Band, Inspirations, Isaacs, Jason Crabb Band, Jeff & Sheri Easter, Kingdom Heirs, McKameys, Primitive Quartet

Songwriter
2013: Sheryl Farris
2012: Dianne Wilkinson (but see non-performing songwriter; this category isn’t quite an apples-to-apples comparison)
Both: Mark Bishop, Jim Brady, Gerald Crabb, Phil Cross, Rodney Griffin, Joseph Habedank, Ronny Hinson, Scott Inman, Kyla Rowland

Album
2013 artists represented: Perrys, Hoppers, Mark Trammell Quartet, Brian Free & Assurance, Gaither Vocal Band, Old Paths
2012 artists represented: Legacy Five, Inspirations, Libbi Perry Stuffle, Gold City, Triumphant Quartet, Kingdom Heirs
Both: Booth Brothers, McKameys, Greater Vision, Tribute Quartet

Non-Performing Songwriter
2013: Chris Binion, Lance Carpenter, Ricky Free, Marty Funderburk, Marcia Henry, Barbara Huffman, Joel Lindsey, Mosie Lister, Rebecca Peck, Dianne Wilkinson

New Traditional Quartet
2013: Canton Junction, Carolina Boys, Common Bond Qt, Keepers of the Faith, Old Paths, Paul’s Journey, Providence Qt, Rebels Qt, Sanctuary Qt, Union Street

New Mixed Group
2013: Allen Family, Bontrager Family, Harper Family, Heaven’s Mountain Band, Littles, Mylon Hayes Family, Southern Raised Bluegrass, Sneed Family, Taylors, Williamsons

New Trio
2013: 11th Hour, Barry Rowland & Deliverance, Beyond the Ashes, Declaration, Erwins, Freedom Trio, Hyssongs, Porter Family, Promise Trio, Red Roots

New Soloist
2013: Anita Davis, Bethany Ellis, Randall Garland, Chris Hester, Billy Hodges, Steve Ladd, Michael Lee, Tim Livingston, Abby Paskavan, Angela Primm

Song of the Year
2013 artists represented: Whisnants, Kingdom Heirs
2012 artists represented: Inspirations, Kingsmen, Karen Peck & New River, Gold City (12 nominees in 2012 due to three-way 10th-place tie)
Both: Tribute Quartet, Greater Vision, Perrys, Brian Free & Assurance, Legacy Five, Booth Brothers, McKameys, Triumphant Quartet

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A recent commenter noted that by their very nature as fan-voted awards, the Singing News Fan Awards aren’t a particularly objective measure of success. He was right, as are other readers who make the same observation every year. This is a genre in which people pick favorites and then stay loyal to them for a long, long time. If we ask loyal fans their favorites, that’s probably not the most objective measure of success.

If we seek greater objectivity, perhaps we should follow the lead of other genres and institute peer-voted industry awards. Problem is, peers can also be and often are subjective and vote for people whom they personally like. So that also is probably not the most objective measure of success.

We could get even greater objectivity if we determine awards the way that NQC determined this year’s Songwriter award—based on the Singing News Radio Airplay charts. Problem is, there’s still some level of subjectivity there; no matter how good a song is, Southern Gospel radio DJs are also humans and prone to subjectively vote for songs from artists (and radio promoters) that they personally like.

(Of course, far be it from me to say that DJs don’t give the next “Canaanland is Just in Sight” a fair shot, too. Those exceptions happen, but most songs on the charts are from established artists or at least established promoters.)

So let’s say that fan votes, peer votes, and DJ votes are all too subjective. We could get even greater objectivity if we could obtain actual airplay reports from performance rights agencies (BMI, ASCAP, SESAC, and SoundExchange). Since those reflect actual airplay across thousands if not tens of thousands of venues, they are more objective. But, even here, there is some level of subjectivity: To this day, most airplay decisions are made by human beings capable of subjective opinions—with the program directors at a few large stations sometimes having a substantial impact on the end result.

Perhaps we could base a truly objective awards ceremony on actual sales reports from Nielsen SoundScan, tracking as fans vote with their wallets. There’s only one problem: Many if not most Southern Gospel groups don’t bother reporting their sales through SoundScan, and a very significant percentage of Southern Gospel album sales are at concert tables.

(And while those numbers are quite objective, many would argue that they aren’t the only valid indicator of success. Legend has it that the Blackwood Brothers outsold the Statesmen by 3-1 or more back in the groups’ glory days, but nobody would claim the Blackwood Brothers were three times more successful.)

In the end, then, it seems that the relentless pursuit of objectivity rapidly leads us into absurdity.

So let’s take a step back. Of course, as another reader will invariably point out every year, none of this matters from the vantage point of eternity. Go ahead and throw up an online poll here or there, and let an accounting firm certify that there aren’t duplicate votes if you like. Cheer on Southern Gospel’s finest once or twice a year, as they thank fans for their support and recognition. But let’s not take any of this too seriously.

(It’s not like most groups, especially the ones at the top, take it all that seriously themselves.)

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Singing News announced the 2012 winners to the Fan Awards this afternoon. As usual, the Booth Brothers and Triumphant Quartet had the strongest showings. The Booth Brothers picked up seven of the twenty-one awards, while Triumphant won four.

The Collingsworth Family won Mixed Group of the Year for the first time; they also continued their streak at the Young Artist position. Two years ago, oldest sister Brooklyn took home the trophy; Courtney took it home last year, and Phil Collingsworth Jr. won it this year. This is the first time a group has had a streak of this nature; incidentally, the only comparable situation in the history of the award happened the preceding two years, with Perrys members Nick Trammell (2008) and Joseph Habedank (2009).

Wilburn & Wilburn took home awards for Horizon Group of the Year and Horizon Individual of the Year (Jordan), proving that the online buzz about their group is shared within the Singing News fan base.

Here’s the full list of awards handed out in the awards ceremony:

• Mixed Group: The Collingsworth Family
• Soloist: Ivan Parker
• Horizon Group Of The Year: Wilburn & Wilburn
• Horizon Individual Of The Year: Jordan Wilburn
• Tenor: Michael Booth
• Alto: Libbi Perry Stuffle
• Lead Singer: Ronnie Booth
• Baritone: Jim Brady
• Soprano: Kim Hopper
• Bass Singer: Eric Bennett
• Band: Kingdom Heirs
• Musician: Jeff Stice
• Trio: Booth Brothers
• Young Artist: Phillip Collingsworth
• Male Singer: Ronnie Booth
• Female Singer: Kim Hopper
• Traditional Quartet: Triumphant Quartet
• Songwriter Of The Year: Rodney Griffin
• Album Of The Year: Songs From The Heart- Triumphant Quartet
• Song Of The Year: She Still Remembers Jesus’s Name- Booth Brothers
• Artist Of The Year: Booth Brothers
• Norcross-Templeton Award: Mike Holcomb

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The National Quartet Convention has announced the final list of nominees for the NQC Music Awards. Here’s a breakdown by artist:

• Triumphant – 7
• Greater Vision – 7
• Booth Brothers – 6
• Gaither Vocal Band – 6
• Collingsworth Family – 6
• Perrys – 5
• Kingdom Heirs – 4
• Hoppers – 3
• Two each: Brian Free & Assurance, Legacy Five, Talleys, Karen Peck & New River, Mark Trammell Quartet, Jason Crabb, Isaacs
• One each: Canton Junction, Gold City, Whisnants, Jeff & Sheri Easter, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Mark Bishop, TaRanda Greene, Ivan Parker, Guy Penrod, Gordon Mote

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Singing News has announced the top 5 finalists in the 2012 Singing News Fan Awards. Their list is here.

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AbsolutelyGospel handed out the 2012 AGM Awards last night in a live ceremony including performances from many of the nominees. They have not posted a list of awards on their site yet, and my work schedule today ruled out staying up late to watch the stream. But, from comments on social media, winners included:

• Professional Songwriter of the Year: Kenna Turner West
• Performing Songwriters of the Year: Sonya & Becky Isaacs
• Female Vocalist of the Year: Libbi Perry Stuffle
• Traditional Song of the Year: “Celebrate Me Home” (Perrys)
• Song of the Year: “On the Banks of the Promised Land” (Karen Peck & New River, written by Sue C. Smith, David Moffitt, and Jason Dyba)
• Progressive Song of the Year: “On the Banks of the Promised Land” (Karen Peck & New River)
• Progressive Album of the Year: Booth Brothers
• Mixed Group of the Year: Karen Peck & New River
• Fan Favorite Artist of the Year: Karen Peck & New River
• Susan Unthank Memorial Award: Karen Peck
• Male Group of the Year: Triumphant Quartet
• Musician of the Year: Madison Easter
• Best Live Performer: Booth Brothers
• Traditional Album of the Year: Somebody’s Coming (Gold City)
• Country Song of the Year: “Hear My Heart” (Jeff & Sheri Easter)
• Album of the Year: Why Can’t We (Isaacs)
• Country Album of the Year: Why Can’t We (Isaacs)
• Engineer: Terry Thompson / Scott Godsey (tie)
• Special Event Project: Christmas Must Be Tonight, Three Bridges

UPDATE: Here’s the complete list. [EDIT, 2/21/13: Broken Link Removed.]

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Last month, the National Quartet Convention announced the new NQC Music Awards. Numerous questions were raised about nominee eligibility, voting eligibility, and other procedures. Yesterday, they posted a document clarifying many of these questions. Highlights include:

• Rules for the individual vocal part awards (Bass / Baritone / Lead / Tenor / Alto / Soprano) clearly state that eligible nominees shall have performed at that part as a member of a group within the eligibility period. This clarifies a point of confusion which has arisen at points over the Singing News Fan Awards—whether soloists who came to prominence singing a vocal part can still be nominated for that vocal part. This year, at least one soloist is nominated, but as I recall, there have been years when only group members are nominated in the SN Fan Awards.
• All-female groups are eligible to be nominated for mixed group of the year.
• There are fan categories and industry categories. Fan categories will be voted on by fans who subscribe to NQC’s email list. There had been some confusion over who could vote in the industry categories; it was initially understood that NQC exhibitors would vote. Concern was expressed that artists like the Down East Boys, the Freemans, or Ernie Haase and Signature Sound, who might not be exhibiting in a given year, would not have a vote, while jewelry exhibitors would. This has now been clarified: Members of the Southern Gospel Music Guild, whether or not present, can vote. Only exhibitors judged by a procedural committee to be “experienced and knowledgeable about the Southern Gospel Music field” will have a professional vote.
• Intriguingly, the Songwriter of the Year award will be determined neither by industry nor fan vote. Rather, radio airplay and sales charts will be tabulated to reflect the songwriter “whose song(s) has/have had the most activity on the radio and sales charts during the eligibility period.”
• Just as intriguingly, similar criteria will not be used for producer of the year; this will be determined by industry vote.
• Confusion remains over Song of the Year. Early in the document, it is listed as a fan-voted category. But later in the document, under the “Voting Base” section, the rules state: “The exception will be for the Song of the Year Category which will be determined by tabulation of radio and sales chart activity and the Les Beasley Impact Award which will be determined by the professional members of the Southern Gospel Music Guild.”

The hybrid of fan- and industry-voted awards will make this show intriguing. Meanwhile, the size of the NQC voting base and the size of the audience in attendance, watching the awards ceremony, give this show an immediate level of credibility that, say, an awards show started by SouthernGospelBlog.com would have to build over years or decades!

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Singing News announced the Top 10 nominees in the 2012 Fan Awards yesterday evening. 

Most notably, Tribute Quartet has a net 5 nomination gain over their 2011 nomination count. This is on the strength of their breakout album The Waiting is Over (reviewed here)—cementing that album’s status as a breakout.

The Inspirations tied for the net 5 nomination gain over 2011; this is largely since the Hosterman/Ragan/Epley/Holcomb has stayed together for long enough that their fans to know and nominate the names of the new members.

Three artists had a net three-nomination gain: The Browns, Legacy Five (thanks to Trey Ivey), and Wilburn and Wilburn. 

I had a little too much spare time on my hands while waiting on election results last night, so I broke each category’s returns down to see year-to-year change. Click on “more reading” to see the full breakdown.

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The Dove Awards’ PR agency distributed a press release yesterday announcing hosts and performers for the 43rd annual Dove Awards. The ceremony will be April 19 at the Fox Theater in Atlanta, Georgia; co-hosts will be Christian comedian Chonda Pierce and David Mann (an actor—regrettably, not our genre’s David Mann.) Jason Crabb and the Isaacs will both perform.

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