By Bridgette Begle and Cory Woodroof
Allen Arena traded basketballs for golden trophies Tuesday night as the best and brightest of Christian music gathered to celebrate this year’s Dove Award winners.
The 44th annual show made its home at Lipscomb after spending two years at Fox Theater in Atlanta. Industry legends Amy Grant and Kirk Franklin were the evening’s emcees.
Gospel Music Association CEO Jackie Patillo thanked Lipscomb for their guidance in hosting the event in its return to Music City, a longtime home of the awards.
“We are at the Allen Arena because of the vision of the leadership here,” Patillo said. “President Randy Lowry has opened his doors to us and his heart.”
Dr. Lowry told the estimated crowd of 2,800 of the importance of having fellow believers join the campus to celebrate an art that ties directly in with faith.
“We have about 200,000 visitors a year on this campus, but there are no visitors that are more important to us than those who share the Christian story with us,” Lowry said. “A lot goes on in higher education, and a lot of it is so far from the story we believe in.
“But at Lipscomb University, we are going to be Christian intentionally, we are going to be Christian courageously and we are going to be Christian graciously.”
Lowry noted that arena donors Jim and Linda Allen were in attendance of the evening’s events.
“They had a vision 15 years ago and dedicated a tremendous proportion of their resources to build this – not knowing you specifically, but having you in mind. Hoping that in this place, God would bless our university community and those afar.”
Assistant Director of Lipscomb Security and Safety Patrick Cameron detailed the collaborative effort that goes into providing proper security for a show like the Doves.
“For an event of this size and magnitude, it’s a true team effort,” Cameron said, referring to the security staff, Metro police and others as those who help make sure things go by safely and securely.
“You’ve just got to come up with a game plan, and then you just implement it and go from there,” Cameron said.
Cameron talked about how an event like the Doves carries a different weight than other events that take place on campus, partly due to the number of notable personalities that attend and the status of the awards being a taped event set to air nationally next week.
Dr. Jim Thomas, a professor of communication and the Executive Assistant to the President, spoke on how the Doves being hosted on campus further highlights the advancements the university has made over the past few years.
“This is absolutely amazing that Lipscomb has come from being a fairly isolated institution eight years ago to being where we are tonight and hosting the Dove Awards that will go on nationwide television,” Thomas said.
“That’s phenomenal for us, and it indicates the movement Lipscomb has made in the Nashville community and beyond.”
Video Credit: Aaron Schmelzer, Carter Sanderson
TobyMac, Chris Tomlin among the evening’s big winners
TobyMac, a longtime staple of the genre, walked away with the night’s top honor of Artist of the Year. The multiple Dove winner, who started the show off with a drum line-laden performance of hit single “Eye On It,” expressed his hope that the career can follow the plans God has for him.
“I’m just a needy little artist asking God to do something big,” TobyMac said,
Matt Redman’s “10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)” took home the Song of the Year.
Christian rap artist Lecrae, one of the evening’s multiple winners and Artist of the Year nominees, was far more pleased to see his companions of the 116 Clique (Trip Lee, Andy Mineo and KB) put on a show-stopping rendition of their hit single “One Sixteen.”
“I’m so proud of my boys,” Lecrae said. “They rocked it tonight. It was an amazing performance. It was the highlight of my night. I can go home. You can keep all my awards.”
Lecrae won two Doves during the night for his song “Tell the World” featuring Mali Music and last year’s album Gravity.
After a performance of “Fix My Eyes,” King and Country won New Artist of the Year.
Tamela Mann was also a double-award winner, taking home the Traditional Gospel Artist of the Year honor.
“It feels great to win two awards. All glory goes to God,” Mann said.
Live performers of the night included the Rhett Walker Band, Tasha Cobbs, Colton Dixon, Big Daddy Weave and Needtobreathe.
Video Credit: Kelly Dean, Ariel Jones, Joe Sanderson
Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.
The show will be broadcast on UP network on Monday at 7 p.m. CT.
For a full list of winners, visit the Dove Awards’ official website.
Photo credit: Whitney Jarreld
Quotes obtained by Brianne Welch, Logan Butts and Woodroof.