c. 1997 Religion News Service

(RNS) Singer Steven Curtis Chapman and dc Talk member Toby McKeehan were the big winners Thursday (April 24) at the Gospel Music Association’s 1997 Dove Awards.

Chapman won artist, male vocalist and songwriter of the year honors and received a fourth award for pop/contemporary album of the year for”Signs of Life.” McKeehan left the Nashville Arena with five Doves, the most of any artist this year. As a member of dc Talk, he was honored for the top pop/contemporary song,”Between You and Me,”and the top rock song,”Like It, Love It, Need It.””Jesus Freak,”the title of the group’s album and single, was named the rock album and short form music video of the year. As a member of a second group, the Gotee Brothers, McKeehan was honored with rap/hip hop album of the year for”Erace.” The 28th annual awards show _ reflecting the gospel music industry’s continued growth _ was broadcast for the first time on The Nashville Network, reaching a more mainstream audience than in previous years when it aired on the Family Channel.”This has been an amazing year for our industry, maybe the most amazing ever,”said singer Gary Chapman, co-host of the awards show.”Everything is on the upswing. More and more people are listening to the music.” The comments by Gary Chapman, last year’s male vocalist of the year, are backed up by recently released statistics from the Recording Industry Association of America. They show gospel music’s share of the overall music market has risen from 3.1 percent in 1995 to 4.3 percent in 1996.

In addition to its increased market share, gospel music’s diversity continues to expand. The show’s range of acts varied from an opening number by rappers E.T.W., to a tribute to Southern gospel that included the Speer Family of Nashville, which began as a family quartet more than 75 years ago.

As the industry works to gain mainstream attention, it’s taking on some aspects of the general music industry, with its own twist. For example, numerous artists on stage Thursday night wore red AIDS ribbons with a cross superimposed on them. Various artists also joined in a closing song that was a tribute to AIDS victims.

The show also featured an artist rapidly painting a picture on canvas as dc Talk’s members sang”Colored People,”a song calling for racial unity that also is enjoying success in the mainstream market.

Some of the artists seemed to have matured along with the industry.”Ten years ago this year, a snotty-nosed kid from Paducah, Ky., was introduced to the GMA and in those 10 years I’ve learned … there’s a lot that kind of seems silly,”said Steven Curtis Chapman, as he accepted the artist of the year award.”We play our guitars. We sing our songs. People applaud. We get dressed up, but God … uses even foolish things when it comes from a heart that has been changed by his grace and his mercy and his love.” Steven Curtis Chapman was honored as artist of the year for the fifth time in eight years and songwriter for the eighth time in nine years.

CeCe Winans, the awards show’s other co-host, won the female vocalist of the year honor for the second year in a row. She also won honors for contemporary gospel song of the year for”Take Me Back”and special event album for her role in”Tribute: The Songs of Andrae Crouch.” Following is a list of major winners of the 1997 Dove Awards:

Song of the Year:”Butterfly Kisses”by Bob Carlisle and Randy Thomas

Songwriter of the Year: Steven Curtis Chapman

Male Vocalist of the Year: Steven Curtis Chapman

Female Vocalist of the Year: CeCe Winans

Group of the Year: Jars of Clay

Artist of the Year: Steven Curtis Chapman

New Artist of the Year: Jaci Velasquez

Producer of the Year: Charlie Peacock

Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year:”Erace,”performed by the Gotee Brothers

Alternative/Modern Rock Album of the Year:”Free Flying Soul,”performed by the Choir

Rock Album of the Year:”Jesus Freak,”performed by dc Talk

Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year:”Signs of Life,”performed by Steven Curtis Chapman

Inspirational Album of the Year:”Quiet Prayers (My Utmost For His Highest); performed by Bryan Duncan

Southern Gospel Album of the Year:”Wherever You Are,”performed by the Martins

Country Album of the Year:”Little Bit of Faith,”performed by Jeff Silvey

Traditional Gospel Album of the Year:”Just a Word,”performed by Shirley Caesar’s Outreach Convention Choir

Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year:”Whatcha Lookin’ 4,”performed by Kirk Franklin & The Family