BMI Awards Gala
by Deborah Evans Price
Many of Christian music's top songwriters were gathered at the Nashville offices of Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI) on Saturday night for the company's annual Christian awards gala. Songwriter/producer Ed Cash was named BMI’s 2008 Christian Songwriter of the Year. One of Cash’s compositions, Made to Worship, recorded by Chris Tomlin, was named BMI’s Christian Song of the Year. Cash was also recognized for penning the hits Holding Onto You and How Can I Keep From Singing.
Universal Music Publishing Group was named Christian Publisher of the Year. The company’s eight award-winning songs include The Blessing of Abraham, penned by Donald Lawrence, Dead Man (Carry Me), co-written and recorded by Jars of Clay, My Savior, My God, written and recorded by Aaron Shust, and Imagine Me, co-penned and recorded by Kirk Franklin.
During the evening, BMI recognized songwriters and publishers in the Christian rock, contemporary Christian, inspirational, urban gospel and Southern gospel fields who had the most performed songs on Christian radio. Jars of Clay, Aaron Shust, and Isaiah Thomas performed during the event.
Shust and Lawrence each earned two BMI honors. Among the other songwriters recognized were Franklin, Thomas, tobyMac, Percy Bady, Joel Lindsay, David Nasser, Jasen Rauch and Anthony Armstrong of the group Red, Jars of Clay members Dan Haseltine, Charlie Lowell, Steve Mason, Matt Odmark, and Casting Crown’s frontman Mark Hall.
A complete list of the evening’s honorees follows:
Anything But Ordinary, Everything But Typical
Adam Kohout
Tery Wilkins
Asheville Music Publishing
Chris White Music
Leah's Heart Music
The Dove Brothers
Sonlite Records/Crossroads Music Group
The Blessing of Abraham
Donald Lawrence
Q W Publishing
Universal Music-Z Songs
Donald Lawrence presents the Tri-City Singers
EMI Gospel
Breathe Into Me
Anthony Armstrong
Robert Graves
Jasen Rauch
Bridge Building Music
End of Silence Music
Logansong Music
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Red
Essential Records
By His Wounds
David Nasser
Meaux Mercy Publishing
Redemptive Art Music
Glory Revealed feat. Mac Powell, Mark Hall, Brian Littrell and Steven Curtis Chapman
Reunion Records
Dead Man (Carry Me)
Dan Haseltine
Charlie Lowell
Steve Mason
Matt Odmark
Bridge Building Music
Pogostick Music
Jars of Clay
Essential Records
Does Anybody Hear Her
Mark Hall
Club Zoo Music, Inc.
My Refuge Music
SWECS Music
Casting Crowns
Beach Street/Reunion Records
Encourage Yourself
Donald Lawrence
Q W Publishing
Universal Music-Z Songs
Donald Lawrence presents the Tri-City Singers
EMI Gospel
The Face of Love
Dan Gartley
Christopher Stevens
Gotee Music, Inc.
Regisfunk Music
River Oaks Music Company
Sanctus Real
Sparrow Records
Faithful is Our God
Jules "Juda" Bartholomew
Hezekiah Walker and the Love Fellowship Crusade Choir
Verity
Give it All Away
Aaron Shust
Bridge Building Music
White Spot Publishing
Aaron Shust
Brash Music
God's Word
Dennis Murphy
Asheville Music Publishing
Chris White Music
Kingdom Heirs
Sonlite Records/Crossroads Music Group
Holding Onto You
Ed Cash
Alletrop Music
Paul Colman
Inpop Records
How Can I Keep From Singing
Ed Cash
Alletrop Music
Chris Tomlin
Sparrow Records
I Will Bless the Lord
Isaiah D. Thomas
Good Fellas Music Group LLC
Byron Cage
GospoCentric Records
Imagine Me
Kirk Franklin
Kerrion Publishing
Lilly Mack Music
Universal Music-Z Songs
Kirk Franklin
GospoCentric Records
Made to Love
Toby McKeehan
Achtober Songs
tobyMac
ForeFront Records
Made to Worship
Ed Cash
Alletrop Music
Chris Tomlin
Sparrow Records
My Savior, My God (2nd Award)
Aaron Shust
Bridge Building Music
White Spot Publishing
Aaron Shust
Brash Music
Orphans of God
Twila LaBar
Joel Lindsey
Bridge Building Music
Upright Grand Music
Avalon
Sparrow Records
Over and Over
Belinda Lee Smith
Seventh Row Music
Jeff and Sheri Easter
Word Entertainment
Paid in Full (Through Jesus, Amen)
Rodney Griffin
Songs of Greater Vision
Greater Vision
Daywind Records/Daywind Music Group
Real to Me
Jay Joyce
JoyJayce Music Publishing
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Nichole Nordeman
Sparrow Records
Shine On
Bo Rinehart
Needtobreathe Music
Needtobreathe
Sparrow Records
Sky Full of Angels
Lisa Stewart Seals
Potter's Daughter Music
TaRanda Greene
Daywind Records/Daywind Music Group
Strong Tower
Marc Byrd
Aaron Sprinkle
Blue Raft Music
Flush on the Flop Music
Meaux Mercy Publishing
Spinning Audio Vortex, Inc.
Kutless
Tooth & Nail Records/BEC Recordings
Um Good
Percy James Bady
Lilly Mack Music
Smokie Norful
EMI Gospel
We Praise You
Andrea McClurkin-Mellini
Nate McNair
Lilly Mack Music
Naymac Publishing
The McClurkin Project
GospoCentric Records
