Pictured (L-R): Jimi Williams of ASCAP Christian Publisher of the Year EMI CMG Publishing; ASCAP Christian Song of the Year (Matthew West's "The Motions") songwriter Jason Houser; ASCAP Christian Songwriter/Artist of the Year Jeremy Camp; ASCAP's Tim DuBois; EMI CMG Publishing's John Thompson and Jeremy Ash; ASCAP Christian Songwriter of the Year Ben Glover; EMI CMG Publishing's Matt Ewald and Eddie DeGarmo; ASCAP Christian Song of the Year songwriter Sam Mizell. Click for larger photo.
ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) saluted the songwriters and publishers of Christian music’s most performed songs at its 32nd annual Christian Music Awards last night (10/25) at Richland Country Club in Nashville.
The evening’s top honors were awarded to the following:
ASCAP Christian Songwriter of the Year: Ben Glover
ASCAP Christian Songwriter/Artist of the Year: Jeremy Camp
ASCAP Christian Song of the Year: “The Motions,” written by Jason Houser, Sam Mizell and Matthew West; published by Word Music, Simpleville Music, Extreme Writers Group, Cedar Sides, Songs For Lulu and Wyzell Music
ASCAP Christian Publisher of the Year: EMI CMG Publishing
A total of 36 song honors were handed out while interspersed with a few very special performances. Those performances included the 2010 Dove Award winner for Song of the Year, “By Your Side,” by Phillip LaRue, and “The Motions,” performed by Jason Houser and Sam Mizell. Also taking the stage was Michael Farren of Pocket Full of Rocks.
ASCAP Vice President and Managing Executive, Nashville, Tim DuBois presented Ben Glover with his first Songwriter of the Year award. Glover penned four of the most performed songs of the past year: “Before The Morning” (Josh Wilson), “Let the Waters Rise” (Mikeschair), “Savior, Please” (Josh Wilson) and “The Lost Get Found” (Britt Nicole).
Collecting ASCAP Song of the Year honors for “The Motions,” recorded by Matthew West, were writers Sam Mizell, Jason Houser and West. The publishers for “The Motions” are Word Music, Simpleville Music, Extreme Writers Group, Cedar Sides, Songs For Lulu and Wyzell Music. The song was a huge hit at radio, spending 14 weeks at No. 1 on the Christian charts.
DuBois also presented Jeremy Camp with the first-ever ASCAP Christian Songwriter/Artist of the Year award. In past years, he has taken home a total of eight ASCAP Most Peformed Song awards, he’s been awarded ASCAP Songwriter of the Year three times–in 2005, 2006 and 2008–and has also been honored with ASCAP’s Song of the Year award for “Take You Back,” also in 2006. This year, Camp added two more Most Performed awards to his collection for “There Will Be a Day” and “Healing Hand of God.”
ASCAP Publisher of the Year honors went to EMI CMG Publishing who had eight award-winning songs: “Before the Morning,” “Forgiven,” “Healing Hand of God,” “I Will Rise,” “Savior, Please,” “Sing, Sing, Sing,” “The Lost Get Found” and “There Will Be A Day.” DuBois presented the award to EMI CMG Publishing’s Eddie DeGarmo. This is the seventh year in a row EMI CMG has received Publisher of the Year.
Among the songwriters and artists in attendance included Brandon Heath, Peter Furler (Newsboys), Bebo Norman, Allen Shamblin, Kellie Picker, Kyle Jacobs, Don Poythress, Nick DePartee and Dave Luetkenhoelter (Kutless), Phillip LaRue, Michael Farren (Pocket Full of Rocks), Britt Nicole, Michael Weaver (Big Daddy Weave), Scotty Davis, Chad Cates and Tony Wood.
Category: Artist, Awards, Featured, Organizations
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