Bell Leads 2008 Covenant Award Nominees

Sep 16th, 2008

CALGARY, AB — Winnipeg singer-songwriter Steve Bell leads the list of nominees at the 30th Annual Covenant Awards taking place at First Alliance Church on Friday, October 24.In the wake of his acclaimed 2007 Symphony Sessions album, Bell personally secured eight nominations for the Canadian Christian music awards, including Artist of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year and Producer of the Year together with colleague Dave Zeglinski. Graphic artist Brian Kauste is additionally in the running for CD/DVD Artwork Design of the Year for his work on the project.

Following close behind with seven nominations each were Edmonton-based worship leader Jon Bauer and four Ontario acts including children’s performers God Rocks!, rock band Manic Drive, the roots collective Newworldson and new recording artists The University of Toronto Gospel Choir.

The popular modern worship band out of British Columbia, Starfield, sits alone with six nominations.

An unprecedented 55 Covenant Awards will be handed out in 2008 in a wide variety of categories ranging from Choir and Southern Gospel to Rap/Hip Hop and Hard Music. There will also be a Lifetime Achievement and Blessings Fan Choice Award.

With several artists on hand, the list of nominees was officially unveiled at the Calgary location of Blessings Christian Marketplace on September 16. A total of 676 category submissions were made by Christian artists from throughout Canada, an increase of 12 per cent over last year. Determining the nominees and eventual winners were close to 100 industry-based judges comprised primarily of fellow musicians.

Produced by the Gospel Music Association Canada, the Covenant Awards is the pinnacle event in what is known as GMA Canada Week. Running from October 21-25, activities include a national music conference, artist showcases, talent search competition, worship night and industry awards banquet.

A complete list of nominees is posted below.

30th Annual Covenant Awards Nomination List

ABORIGINAL SONG OF THE YEAR
The Father’s Dance/Broken Walls (Jonathan Maracle)
Heal The Land/Becky Thomas (Becky Thomas)
Residential School Song/Cheryl Bear (Cheryl Bear)
The Spirit Way/Becky Thomas (Becky Thomas)

CHILDREN’S SONG OF THE YEAR
Children Of God/God Rocks! BibleToons (Bruce W. Stacey)
It’s All About The Kingdom/Dian Layton (Dian Layton)
The Plans I Have/God Rocks! BibleToons (Ian Tanner)
Shining Stars/God Rocks! BibleToons (Bruce W. Stacey)
U 1st/simplesong (Deanna Chapman)

CHOIR SONG OF THE YEAR
Awesome God/The University Of Toronto Gospel Choir (Richard J. Brown)
Conqueror/Toronto Mass Choir (Kerroy Williams)
Hallelujah/Evangeline Inman (Evangeline Inman/Mark Inman)
He Is My Song/This Little Light/Smythe Street Choir (Jill Kozak/Harry Dixon Loes)
I Surrender/The University Of Toronto Gospel Choir (Stephen Lewis)

CLASSICAL/TRADITIONAL SONG OF THE YEAR
The Angels/Jimmy Lalla (Jimmy Lalla)
Burning Ember/Steve Bell (Steve Bell)
Christ The Life Of The Soul/Andrea Tisher (Andrea Tisher/Anne Steele)
I Will Give You All The Praise/Evangeline Inman (Evangeline Inman/Mark Inman)
Invocation/Lost & Found (Ken Harder)

COUNTRY/BLUEGRASS SONG OF THE YEAR
Brand New Day/One Heart (Don Wilke)
How You Live (Turn Up The Music)/Point Of Grace (Cindy Morgan)
No High Like The Most High/Becky Thomas (Barry Medley)
The Prayer Song/Steve Rain & Friends (Steve Rain)
Timeless Love/Claire Schira (Claire Schira)

FOLK/ROOTS SONG OF THE YEAR
Flame/Keith Kitchen (Keith Kitchen)
The Great Beyond/Jacob Moon (Jacob Moon)
His Peace/Christine Crain (Danny Crain/Jennifer Russell)
On The Blue/Joel Augé (Joel Augé )
Salvation Station/Newworldson
(Joel Parisien/Mark Rogers/Richard Moore/Joshua Franklin Toal)

FRANCOPHONE SONG OF THE YEAR
Je Suis Libre En Toi/Claude Whiting (Claude Whiting)
Pour Te Louer/Catherine (Catherine Grenier)
Seule Raison De Vivre/Invasion (Pierre-Olivier Lavoie)
Toi Seul Es Digne/Dan Luiten (Dan Luiten)
Tout En Moi/Sebastian Demrey (Sebastian Demrey)

GOSPEL SONG OF THE YEAR
Because Of You/Toronto International Celebration Church (Ryan Resmer)
God Is Watching/The University Of Toronto Gospel Choir (Stephen Lewis)
He Saved Me/George Olliver (George Olliver)
Send Me/The University Of Toronto Gospel Choir (Stephen Lewis)
To Me/Zamar (Steve Stoddart)

HARD MUSIC SONG OF THE YEAR
Falls Apart/Thousand Foot Krutch
(Joel Bruyere/Trevor McNevan/Steve Augustine/Ken Andrews)
Obvious/Manic Drive (Shawn Cavallo/Michael Cavallo)
Of Wolves And Angels (Anthem For The Insomniac)/Kiros (Kiros)
A Scar Filled Sky/Cry Of The Afflicted (Cry Of The Afflicted)
Xoxoxo/Secret & Whisper (Charles David Furney/Secret & Whisper)

INSPIRATIONAL SONG OF THE YEAR
Change The World/Gary Sharpe (Nathan Byle/Gary Sharpe)
Empty And Beautiful/Matt Maher (Matt Maher)
Fleeting Breath/Jill Hagen (Jill Hagen)
Trust/Adam Padfield (Adam Padfield)
Who Will Stand/His Season (Laura Dugas)

INSTRUMENTAL SONG OF THE YEAR
Be Still/Dave Olson (Dave Olson)
The Cry Of Bethlehem/Ali Matthews (Ali Matthews)
Mom Jan/Jasmin Gibb (Jasmin Gibb)
Moon Over Birkenau/Steve Bell (Steve Bell)
Water Dance/Dan Unger & Malcolm Petch (Malcolm Petch)

JAZZ/BLUES SONG OF THE YEAR
Anointed/Evangeline Inman (Evangeline Inman/Robin Grant)
I Believed It/ Zoë Theodorou (Zoë Theodorou/Viviane Cardinal/Daniel Martin/
Gavin Sorochan/Rodney Hunter/Eric Boseman/Rique Pantoje)
Seven Hips Of Hop/Dave Olson (Dave Olson)
Street Groove #2: Valentia/ KC2 (Kerry Cato/Kevin Cato)
Water Of Life/Andy Taylor (Andy Taylor)

MODERN ROCK/ALTERNATIVE SONG OF THE YEAR
Anyways/Everyother (Everyother)
Blue/Manic Drive (Shawn Cavallo/Michael Cavallo)
Oh The Beds We’ve Made/Jay And The Lovebirds
(Jay Christman/Doug Parker/Justin Hamilton/Louis Mate)
Strengthen Me/Kiros (Kiros)
The Love Song/Elias (Elias Dummer)

MODERN WORSHIP SONG OF THE YEAR
Awaken/Jon Bauer (Jon Bauer)
Faithful Forever/Elias (Elias Dummer)
Made For This/Life Support (Alex Stephen/Deanna Leil/Rob Reid/Jordan Mattie/
Chris Lively/Matt Stride/Tim Abraham/Craig Douglas)
Thousand Hallelujahs/Revolution (Jonathan Lambert)
Together/Jeremy Johnson (Jeremy Johnson)

POP/CONTEMPORARY SONG OF THE YEAR
Beautiful/Amanda Falk (Malynda Zacharias/Marshall Zacharias/Amanda Falk)
Beautiful Now/Matt Brouwer (Matt Brouwer/Jeffery Armstreet)
The Inventor/Manic Drive (Shawn Cavallo)
Love Is The Anchor/Greg Sczebel (Greg Sczebel)
Without You (I’m Not Alright)/Article One (Nathan Piché/Matt Piché/Tedd Tjornhom/
Tasia Tjornhom/Lynn Nichols/Cindy Morgan)

PRAISE & WORSHIP SONG OF THE YEAR
Answer The Call/Steve Mitchinson (Steve Mitchinson)
Great Things/Jachin Mullen (Jachin Mullen/Tommy Walker)
Reign In Us/Starfield (Tim Neufeld/Jon Neufeld/Ben Glover)
Your Grace Is Enough/Matt Maher (Matt Maher/Chris Tomlin)
You’re Holy/The University Of Toronto Gospel Choir (Rena Gaile/Mark Masri)

RAP/HIP HOP SONG OF THE YEAR
Crystal/Fresh I.E. (Rob Wilson)
Dancefloor/Manic Drive (Shawn Cavallo)
Don’t Hesitate/Malichi (Malichi Male/Derrick Hall/Asha Lapps/
DeShaun Jones/Ron Clarke)
Good Day/Manafest (Chris Greenwood/Adam Messinger)
Heat/Fresh I.E. (Rob Wilson/Rob James)

ROCK SONG OF THE YEAR
Alone Tonight/Kiros (Kiros)
Eleven Regrets/Manic Drive (Shawn Cavallo)
My Everything/Tuesday Bloom (Marie Cormier Brunet/Adrian Besaw)
No Doubt At All/Andy Taylor (Andy Taylor)
Your Love In The World/Life Support (Alex Stephen/Deanna Leil/Rob Reid/
Jordan Mattie/Chris Lively/Matt Stride/Tim Abraham)

SEASONAL SONG OF THE YEAR
The Cry Of Bethlehem/Ali Matthews (Ali Matthews)
Heavenly Night/Kelita (Kelita Haverland)
She Lay Down (Her Only Child)/Tara Dettman & Brett Fliesser
(Glen Teeple/Jeff Teed/Martin Smith/Tara Dettman)
Snow Falls/Carried Away (Carried Away)
This Christmas/Jacob Moon (Jacob Moon/Glen Soderholm)

SOUTHERN GOSPEL SONG OF THE YEAR
Awesome Sight/Sounds Of Grace (Meg Braley)
For Endless Days/Torchmen Quartet (Glen Teeple/Jeff Teed/Martin Smith)
Lovin’ Feelin’/Lost And Found (Ken Harder)
Show Me Your Way/4Given (Darlene Lemmon)
Walk Out On The Water/One Heart (Don Wilke)

URBAN/R&B/SOUL SONG OF THE YEAR
The Brightness/Jenna Burke (Jenna Burke)
Free/Zoë Theodorou (Zoë Theodorou/Viviane Cardinal/Daniel Martin/
Gavin Sorochan/Rodney Hunter/Nii Gyamfi/Eric Boseman/Alex Al)
Me Tienes (You Got Me)/Paulis Sanchez (Paulis Sanchez/Sean Simmonds/
Kelvin Wooten/Terverius Black)
No Place Like Your Presence/Julia Gannon (Julia Gannon)
Take My Heart/Dave Olson (Dave Olson/Phil Robertson/Marcus Mosely)

ABORIGINAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
The Father’s Dance/Broken Walls
The Good Road/Cheryl Bear
I Delight In You/Becky Thomas

CHILDREN’S ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Children Of God/God Rocks! BibleToons
Rejoice And Serve/God Rocks! BibleToons
Seeker’s Great Adventure & Rescued From The Dragon/Dian Layton
Shoeless/simplesong
Trust And Hope In The Lord/God Rocks! BibleToons

CHOIR ALBUM OF THE YEAR
A cappella/Rocky Mountain College Choir
Change/Smythe Street Choir
Glory To The Lamb/Lethbridge Christian Men’s Choir
Grace/The Master’s Singers

CLASSICAL/TRADITIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Awake The Sacred Song/Andrea Tisher
Grace Notes/Michelle Todd
The Hymn Project/Buller, Balzer & Aichele
Symphony Sessions/Steve Bell

COUNTRY/BLUEGRASS ALBUM OF THE YEAR
In The Sweet By And By/Jayc Harold
Kevin Mills II/Kevin Mills
Let It Rain/Steve Rain & Friends
Timeless Love/Claire Schira
Walk Out On The Water/One Heart

FOLK/ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Broomtree/Keith Kitchen
The Loop/Jacob Moon
Ordinary Places/Gayle Salmond
Salvation Station/Newworldson
Shine/Christine Crain

FRANCOPHONE ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Aimer Comme Toi/Claude Whiting
De Ma Voix/Catherine
Invasion/Invasion
Pour Qui Tu Es/Dan Luiten

GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
George Olliver’s Gospel Soul: Look Up/George Olliver
I Follow The Cross/Jimmy Lalla
Reggae Praise/Zamar
Send Me/The University Of Toronto Gospel Choir
Unchanging/Charlene Henry

HARD MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR
The Flame In All Of Us/Thousand Foot Krutch
Great White Whale/Secret & Whisper
The Unveiling/Cry Of The Afflicated

INSPIRATIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Comfort And Strength/Jim Drakopoulos
Downpour/E.J. Marois
Fountain Of Life/4Given
Heart Songs: Lit From Within/Lorie Ligi
Meet You There/Marella Brooks

INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Be Still/Dave Olson
Drop Of Love/Jasmin Gibb
The Healing Piano/Debbie Fortnum
Into The Myst(ery)/Dan Unger & Malcolm Petch
What A Gig That Will Be/Bruce Dougall

JAZZ/BLUES ALBUM OF THE YEAR
The Essence Of Life/Zoë Theodorou
Keeping Time, Volume 2/Nelson Boschman Trio With Guests
Your Love Has Set Me Free/Scott Towaij

MODERN ROCK/ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Black & White/Everyother
Hawk Nelson Is My Friend!/Hawk Nelson
Hello Kelly/Hello Kelly
A Single Strand/Kiros
To The Living/Jay And The Lovebirds

MODERN WORSHIP ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Be The Change/Sois Le Changement/Sebastian Demrey
Hope Is Born Again/Elias
I Will Go/Starfield
Mission/Revolution
One/Victory Christian Centre
Roar Of Heaven/Life Support

POP/CONTEMPORARY ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Beautiful/Amanda Falk
Colors And Sounds/Article One
I Want You/Carried Away
Moments/Richard Cummins
Perspective/Jill Hagen

PRAISE & WORSHIP ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Empty & Beautiful/Matt Maher
On The Blue/Joel Augé
Open/Jachin Mullen
Surround/Jon Bauer
War Of Love/Steve Mitchinson

RAP/HIP HOP ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Citizens Activ/Manafest
I Guess That We’ve Grown Up/Curbside Philosophy
Lockjaw/Fresh I.E.

ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Over The Sun/Luke Langman
Reset & Rewind/Manic Drive
Something Bigger/Ryan Bordihn
Tuesday Bloom/Tuesday Bloom

SEASONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Coming Home For Christmas/Barb Prosser Winder
Dawn Of Grace/Mennonite Jazz Committee
Emmanuel White Christmas/Cheryl Dunn
Heavenly Night/Kelita
This Christmas/Jacob Moon

SOUTHERN GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Go Ahead Lord/Sounds Of Grace
I Believe/Three And Company
Now Is The Time/Lost And Found
Southern Gospel Praise And Worship/Torchmen Quartet
We Are Father’s House/Tapestry Vocal Band

SPECIAL EVENTS/COMPILATION ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Canada Rocks!/Various Artists
First Stage Hymns & Worship/Various Artists
GMA Canada 30th Anniversary Collection/Various Artist
Overflow Urban Gospel/Various Artists
Sea To Sea: The Voice Of Creation/Various Artists

URBAN/R&B/SOUL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Insight/Jenna Burke
No Place Like Here/Julia Gannon
Seguro En Ti/Paulis Sanchez

CD/DVD ARTWORK DESIGN OF THE YEAR
The Hymn Project/Buller, Balzer & Aichele/Brian Kauste
Lockjaw/Fresh I.E./Joe Fiola
One/Victory Christian Centre/Angela Doell & Brandi-Lee Doucette
Ordinary Places/Gayle Salmond/Brent Flink of Indivisual Design
Symphony Sessions/Steve Bell/Brian Kauste

MUSIC DVD OF THE YEAR
An Evening With The Torchmen/Torchmen Quartet
George Beverly Shea …Then Sings My Soul/George Beverly Shea
One/Victory Christian Centre
Open/Jachin Mullen
Rejoice In The Lord!/God Rocks! BibleToons

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Don’t Laugh At Me/Christine Evans
Eleven Regrets/Manic Drive
See You Again/Malichi

RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR
Awaken/Jon Bauer
Deep Calls To Deep/Steve Bell
Hosanna/Starfield
Salvation Station/Newworldson
She Lay Down (Her Only Child)/Tara Dettman & Brett Fliesser

SONG OF THE YEAR
Awaken/Jon Bauer (Jon Bauer)
Beautiful/Amanda Falk (Malynda Zacharias/Marshall Zacharias/Amanda Falk)
How You Live (Turn Up The Music)/Point Of Grace (Cindy Morgan)
Salvation Station/Newworldson (Joel Parisien/Mark Rogers/Richard Moore/
Joshua Franklin Toal)
Your Grace Is Enough/Matt Maher (Matt Maher/Chris Tomlin)

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Beautiful/Amanda Falk
I Will Go/Starfield
Salvation Station/Newworldson
Surround/Jon Bauer
Symphony Sessions/Steve Bell

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Sebastian Demrey
Andrew Horrocks
Philip Janz
Roy Salmond
Dave Zeglinski & Steve Bell

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Elias
Jill Hagen
Keith Kitchen
Matt Maher
The University Of Toronto Gospel Choir

GROUP OF THE YEAR
Hawk Nelson
High Valley
Newworldson
Starfield
Thousand Foot Krutch

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Christine Evans
Amanda Falk
Debbie Fortnum
Stephanie Israelson
Kelita

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Jon Bauer
Steve Bell
Paul Brandt
Matt Brouwer
Sebastian Demrey

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Jon Bauer
Steve Bell
Paul Brandt
Newworldson
Starfield