MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Deon and Susan Unthank, administrators of SoGospelNews.com, are proud to announce the nominees for the 2008 SGN Music Awards. As in year’s past, the nominees were chosen by the staff of SoGospelNews.com. Starting on February 1, 2007, the fans will get a chance to vote for their favorites in each category.

”It’s hard to believe that this is already our seventh year to put on these awards,” mentioned Deon Unthank of SoGospelNews.com. “Every year the staff does a tremendous job of picking the nominees. This year is no exception.”

“We are so excited about everything we have planned for this year’s SGN Music Awards Celebration,” mentioned Susan Unthank. “We know that everyone is going to love what we have in store for this year’s program.”

As far as nominations go, Booth Brothers and Dove Brothers Quartet led all artist nominees this year with eight nominations apiece. The Booth Brothers were nominated for Album of the Year (Carry On), Male Group of the Year, Best Live Performer, Fan Favorite Artist of the Year, Special Event Project of the Year (Trails of Paradise) and Progressive Southern Album of the Year (Carry On). In addition, Ronnie Booth was nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year, while Jim Brady was nominated for Songwriter of the Year (Artist).

The Dove Brothers Quartet earned nominations in the categories of Song of the Year (“I Can Pray”), Pacesetter, Male Group of the Year, Best Live Performer, Fan Favorite Artist of the Year, and Traditional Southern Song of the Year (“I Can Pray”). Jerry Martin earned a nomination for Male Vocalist of the Year, and Jerry Kelso was nominated for Musician of the Year.

Following behind the Booth Brothers and Dove Brothers Quartet was Karen Peck & New River with seven nominations. Gold City, the Isaacs, and the Perrys all received six nominations.

Several artists received five nominations – including CrossWay, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, The Imperials, Mike & Kelly Bowling, and the recently disbanded TK & McRae. The Freemans earned four nods.

Janet Paschal, Greater Vision, Austins Bridge, and Everday Driven all earned three nominations, while the Triumphant Quartet, Gordon Mote, Brian Free & Assurance, Daryl Williams Trio, and Legacy Five all received double nominations.

Songwriter and vocalist of TK & McRae and the newly reformed McRaes, Annie McRae, earned the most individual nominations for her work during 2007. In addition to landing in the Female Vocalist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year (Artist), and Special Event Project of the Year (for Annie McRae…My Heart,My Song) categories, Annie earned an additional four nominations for her songwriting this year – writing the hit songs “When He Said Live” (by TK & McRae) and “Took It All Away” (by CrossWay). Annie also earned a nomination for Pacesetter for her contributions to songwriting in 2007. Annie is the first songwriter to earn a nomination for Pacesetter.

Ronnie Booth earned six individual nominations for his vocal and production work. Producer/songwriter Wayne Haun earned five individual nominations.

Earning four individual nominations were producers David Ponder and Bubba Smith and songwriter Jim Brady. Sonya Isaacs, Michael Sykes, Gordon Mote, Lari Goss, Steve Mauldin, Michael Booth, and Nick Bruno all landed three individual nominations for their work in 2007.

The Pacesetter Award is awarded to any artist, individual, or organization which has shown great strides in the industry and has raised the bar for others. This year’s nominees for the 2008 Pacesetter are Dove Brothers Quartet, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, production company Haun & Ward Entertainment, Annie McRae, and SGShowPrep’s Chuck Peters.

More information on the 20808 SGN Music Awards Celebration will be forthcoming, including hosts, performers, and, sponsors, etc. The date for this year’s SGN Music Awards Celebration is Tuesday, April 29, 2008. The event will again take place at the River of Life Church in Smyrna, Tennesse is free to the public.

The nominees for the 2008 SGN Music Awards are listed below:

SONG OF THE YEAR: “Get Away Jordan” - Ernie Haase & Signature Sound (D.L.Coates), “He Chose Me” - Freemans (R.Hendrix, A.Hoskins-Aldridge), “I Bless Your Name” - LeFevre Quartet (G.E.Goodine), “I Can Pray” - Dove Brothers Quartet (N.Markee), “I’m Rich” - Gold City (P.L.Huffam, Jr.), “Last Night” - Karen Peck & New River (M.Henry), “The One I’m Dying For” - Isaacs (R.Isaacs-Bowman, S.Isaacs, R.Bowman), “Took It All Away” - CrossWay (A.McRae), “We Have a Saviour” - Mike & Kelly Bowling (C.McGruder), “When He Said Live” - TK & McRae (A.McRae)

ALBUM OF THE YEAR: 
A Beautiful Thing - CrossWay (D.Ponder),
Back to the Roots - Imperials (M.Sykes), Big Sky - Isaacs (M.Bright), Carry On - Booth Brothers (M.Booth, R.Booth, J.Brady, N.Bruno), Don’t Let Me Miss the Glory - Gordon Mote (G.Mote, P.Johnson), Get Away Jordan - Ernie Haase & Signature Sound (E.Haase, L.Goss, M.English), Journey of Joy - Karen Peck & New River (B.Smith), Look No Further - Perrys (W.Haun), Sounds Like Sunday - Janet Paschal (W.Haun), You Gotta Love It - Triumphant Quartet (S.Mauldin)

PACESETTER: 
Dove Brothers Quartet, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Haun & Ward Entertainment , Annie McRae, Chuck Peters (SGShowPrep)

BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST: 
Austins Bridge, Everyday Driven, King’s Heralds, Mercy’s Well, Tribute Quartet

MALE VOCALIST: 
Ronnie Booth (Booth Brothers), Jerry Martin (Dove Brothers Quartet), Bill Shivers (Brian Free & Assurance), Shannon Smith (Imperials), Gerald Wolfe (Greater Vision)

FEMALE VOCALIST: 
TaRanda Greene (Greenes), Sonya Isaacs (Isaacs), Annie McRae (McRaes/TK & McRae), Janet Paschal, Karen Peck Gooch (Karen Peck & New River)

MALE GROUP: 
Booth Brothers, Dove Brothers Quartet,
Gold City, Greater Vision, Triumphant Quartet

FEMALE GROUP: 
Amazed, Beloved, Rejoice!, Sweetwater Revival

MIXED GROUP: 
Isaacs, Karen Peck & New River, Mike & Kelly Bowling, Perrys, Whisnants

SONGWRITER (ARTIST): Jim Brady (Booth Brothers), Gerald Crabb, Joseph Habedank & Matthew Holt (Perrys), Annie McRae (McRaes/TK & McRae), Daryl K. Williams (Daryl Williams Trio)

SONGWRITER (PROFESSIONAL): 
Chris Binion, Ronny Hinson, Joel Lindsey, Rebecca J. Peck,
Dianne Wilkinson

PRODUCER (ARTIST): 
Mike Bowling (Mike & Kelly Bowling), Ricky Free (Brian Free & Assurance), Darrell Freeman (Freemans), Daniel Riley (Gold City), Roger Talley (Talley Trio)

PRODUCER (PROFESSIONAL): 
Lari Goss, Wayne Haun, Bubba Smith, Michael Sykes, Barry Weeks

ENGINEER: 
Steve Allen, Aaron Minick, David Ponder, Terry Thompson, Kevin Ward

MUSICIAN: 
Kim Collingsworth (Collingsworth Family), Channing Eleton (Everyday Driven), Jerry Kelso (Dove Brothers Quartet), Gordon Mote, Tim Parton (Legacy Five)

TRADITIONAL SOUTHERN SONG: 
“All That Matters to the Lord” - Imperials (M.Funderburk, T.McBride-LaBar), “He Forgot” - Perrys (J.Habedank, M.Holt), “I Can Pray” - Dove Brothers Quartet (N.Markee), “I’m Rich” - Gold City (P.L.Huffam, Jr.), “The Rock’s Between the Hard Place & You” - Kingdom Heirs (D.Wilkinson)

TRADITIONAL SOUTHERN ALBUM: 
Everyday People - Greater Vision (G.Wolfe), For Heaven’s Sake - Southern Sound (B.Harris, T.Haley), Look No Further - Perrys (W.Haun), Once Upon a Cross - Mark Trammell Trio (M.Trammell, S.Mauldin), Sounds Like Sunday - Janet Paschal (W.Haun)

PROGRESSIVE SOUTHERN SONG: 
“A Little Song Coming On” - Three Bridges (R.Hinson), “Last Night” - Karen Peck & New River (M.Henry), “Took It All Away” - CrossWay (A.McRae), “We Have a Saviour” - Mike & Kelly Bowling (C.McGruder), “When He Said Live” - TK & McRae (A.McRae)

PROGRESSIVE SOUTHERN ALBUM: 
Back to the Roots - Imperials (M.Sykes), Carry On - Booth Brothers (M.Booth, R.Booth, J.Brady, N.Bruno), Everyday Driven - Everyday Driven (C.Eleton, P.Lancaster, B.Mullins), Journey of Joy - Karen Peck & New River (B.Smith), Live to Love - Hope’s Call (K.Ward)

COUNTRY/BLUEGRASS SONG: 
“A Homesick Angel” - Daryl Williams Trio (D.K.Williams), “He Chose Me” - Freemans (R.Hendrix, A.Hoskins-Aldridge), “He’s In Control” - Austins Bridge (M.Kofahl, J.Rivers, J.Rowsey), “The One I’m Dying For” - Isaacs (R.Isaacs-Bowman, S.Isaacs, R.Bowman), “Wherever You Are” - CrossWay (D.Ponder)

COUNTRY/BLUEGRASS ALBUM: 
A Beautiful Thing - CrossWay (D.Ponder), Austins Bridge - Austins Bridge (B.Smith), Big Sky - Isaacs (M.Bright), Eyes On the Prize - Freemans (D.Freeman, J.Martin-Sanders), Favor - Hinsons (B.Hinson)

SPECIAL EVENT PROJECT: 
A Little Christmas - Legacy Five (S.Fowler, S.Mauldin, T.Parton), Annie McRae...My Heart, My Song - Annie McRae (B.Adams), Ronnie Booth - Ronnie Booth (R.Booth, N.Bruno), Together - Gaither Vocal Band and Ernie Haase & Signature Sound (B.Gaither, E.Haase, L.Goss), Trails of Paradise - Booth Brothers (M.Booth, R.Booth, J.Brady)

BEST LIVE PERFORMER 
Booth Brothers, Dove Brothers Quartet, Gold City, HisSong, Imperials

FAN FAVORITE ARTIST OF THE YEAR: 
Booth Brothers, Dove Brothers Quartet, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Gold City, Karen Peck & New River, Lesters, Mike & Kelly Bowling, Perrys, Shiloh, Soul’d Out Quartet

For more information – visit SoGospelNews.com.