Karen Peck & New River and Joseph Habedank lead artist nominations
Absolutely Gospel announced the nominees for the 2023 Absolutely Gospel Music Awards, which will take place on April 18, 2023. Artists and songwriters who call Daywind Music Group home dominated many top categories, including Song of the Year (8), Album of the Year (5), Progressive Single (7), Bluegrass Artist (6), Musician (6), Artist Songwriter (5), Professional Songwriter (4), Fan Favorite Artist of the Year (4), and more. Karen Peck & New River and Joseph Habedank led all artists with a phenomenal 10 nominations each this year, including Song of the Year and Fan Favorite Artist of the Year nominations or both. The Sound came in right behind them, earning 8 nominations, in categories including Song of the Year and Album of the Year. Other artists receiving multiple nominations include The Guardians Quartet (6), Brian Free & Assurance (7), Jim & Melissa Brady (6), The Nelons (6), Greater Vision (4), High Road (3), Southbound (2), Chosen Road (2).
Ed Leonard, president of Daywind Music Group, states, “We are so honored by the nominations our artists and songwriters received for the 2023 AGM Awards. Our creators are family, and to see them recognized in this way for their wonderful God-honoring works is both humbling and thrilling at the same time.”
Daywind Nominees:
Song of the Year
“All the Praise” – LeFevre Quartet (T.R. Collins, M.Neale)
“Answer Is Jesus” – Karen Peck & New River (K.P.Gooch, L.Black, K.T.West)
“Child of the King” – Joseph Habedank (J.Habedank, D.Clark, D.Koch)
“God Is Real” – The Sound (J.Mills, L.Mills, R.Mills, S.C.Smith, B.Weeks)
“Not For Long” – Guardians Quartet (K.P.Gooch, J.D.Rowsey, S.C.Smith)
“He’s Got a Way” – Southbound (C.Brown, J.Braselton, S.J.Elbe)
“Looks Like Jesus” – Brian Free & Assurance (with Jimmy Fortune) (S.C.Smith, K.T.West, B.White)
“That Heavenly Home” – Tribute Quartet (J.W. Acuff)
Album of the Year
2:22 – Karen Peck & New River (W.Haun)
Come On In – Guardians Quartet (J.D.Rowsey, W.Haun)
God Is Real – The Sound (B.Weeks)
Meet Me At the Cross – Brian Free & Assurance (R.Free)
Think About There – Greater Vision (G.Wolfe, T.Ivey)
Breakthrough Artist:
Chosen Road
Male Vocalist
Jim Brady (of Booth Brothers/Jim & Melissa Brady)
Joseph Habedank
Levi Mills (of The Sound)
Bill Shivers (of Brian Free & Assurance)
Female Vocalist
Becky Isaacs Bowman (of The Isaacs)
Melissa Brady (of Jim & Melissa Brady)
Karen Peck Gooch (of Karen Peck & New River)
Male Group
Brian Free & Assurance
Guardians Quartet
The Sound
Tribute Quartet
Female Group
High Road
Mixed Group
Jim & Melissa Brady
Karen Peck & New River
The Nelons
Songwriter (Artist)
Lee Black (of Legacy Five)
Jim Brady (of Booth Brothers/Jim & Melissa Brady)
Karen Peck Gooch (of Karen Peck & New River)
Joseph Habedank
John Darin Rowsey (of Guardians Quartet)
Songwriter (Professional)
Jason Cox
Wayne Haun
Sue C. Smith
Nathan Woodard
Producer
Ricky Free
Wayne Haun
Ben Isaacs (of The Isaacs)
Trey Ivey
Musician
Autumn Nelon Clark (of The Nelons)
Sarah Davison (of High Road)
Matthew Gooch (of Karen Peck & New River)
Jacob Mills (of The Sound)
Josh Singletary (of Tribute Quartet)
Gerald Wolfe (of Greater Vision)
Traditional Single
“Not For Long” – Guardians Quartet (K.P.Gooch, J.D.Rowsey, S.C.Smith)
“Not My Will” – Tribute Quartet (A.Walker)
Traditional Recording
Come On In – Guardians Quartet (J.D.Rowsey, W.Haun)
Think About There – Greater Vision (G.Wolfe, T.Ivey)
Progressive Single
“Answer Is Jesus” – Karen Peck & New River (K.P.Gooch, L.Black, K.T.West)
“Child of the King” – Joseph Habedank (J.Habedank, D.Clark, D.Koch)
“God Is Real” – The Sound (J.Mills, L.Mills, R.Mills, S.C.Smith, B.Weeks)
“He’s Got a Way” – Southbound (C.Brown, J.Braselton, S.J.Elbe)
“Liar, Liar” – Brian Free & Assurance (J.Cox, J.Habedank, J.Tomlin)
“Scars In Heaven” – The Nelons (J.M.Hall, M.West)
“Welcome” – Jim & Melissa Brady (J.Brady, M.Farren, T.Wood)
Progressive Recording
2:22 – Karen Peck & New River (W.Haun)
I Feel Like Singing: Live at Daywind Studios – Angie Primm & Friends
Meet Me At the Cross – Brian Free & Assurance (R.Free)
Southern Roots Single
“Children Sing” – The Nelons (J.Clark, T.Wood)
“Faith, Hope, & Love” – High Road (K.Bearfield, S.Davison, K.T.West)
“Give Him What You Got” – The Isaacs (S.I.Yeary, R.I.Bowman)
“Make It Count” – The Sound (K.T.West, J.Cox, R.Mills)
Southern Roots Recording
God Is Real – The Sound (B.Weeks)
Songs That Pulled Me Through the Tough Times – Becky Isaacs Bowman (B.I.Bowman, B.Isaacs)
Special Event Project
30th Anniversary Celebration: The Live Experience – Greater Vision
I Feel Like Singing: Live at Daywind Studios – Angie Primm & Friends
Songs That Pulled Me Through the Tough Times – Becky Isaacs Bowman (B.I.Bowman, B.Isaacs)
We Need a Little Christmas – The Nelons (J.Clark)
Southern Music Video
“Looks Like Jesus” – Brian Free & Assurance (with Jimmy Fortune) (B.Free)
“The Keepers” – Karen Peck & New River (C.Baucom)
“Scars In Heaven” – The Nelons (C.Baucom)
Fan Favorite Artist of the Year
Jim & Melissa Brady
Joseph Habedank
Karen Peck & New River
Tribute Quartet
Bluegrass Artist
Appalachian Road Show
Chosen Road
Darin & Brooke Aldridge
Donna Ulisse
Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers
Marty Raybon & Full Circle
The 2023 Absolutely Gospel Awards celebration will take place on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, at the Capitol Theater in Lebanon, Tennessee at 6:00 p.m. Tickets will be available to purchase soon.