The 39th Annual GMA Dove Awards took place last Wednesday, April 23, at the Grand Ole Opry house right here in Nashville. While this was my third year to attend the awards, it was my first year to be backstage. And let me tell you, backstage is the best place to be (as long as it's live...if it's not live you could be there for ages)! Fortunately, Gospel Music Channel broadcasted the show live this year, which was a significant thing for our industry. The production was excellent. Though I can't say that I would be the best person to ask, because I watched the majority of the show on "mute." When they bring an artist back to the press room, they turn the sound off on the monitors. However, I think getting to hear the artists speak was a pretty cool part of the evening. While our backstage "lock down" began at 4pm on Wednesday, there was plenty to take in backstage. The press room was aflutter with activity (and there was food)!

Basically, the press room is set up with a stage and several rows of tables where media (that's us) sit with laptops, cameras and other various AV equipment. Publicists sit up in another elevated area to the right of the press room. (The backstage area is set up this way because this is where "Hee Haw" used to be filmed...I'm not kidding.) Publicists wait until their artists are called, and then they go down to usher their artist back to the press room. Everyone from presenters to performers to winners can come back to the press room. The publicist introduces the artist, and then the artist takes questions from different members of the media. Questions range from "How do you feel about your Dove win?" to "Why did you use inflatable deer onstage during your live performance?" (yes, this was an acutal question posed to David Crowder, and if you haven't seen DCB's performance of "Everything Glorious," you need to catch it on GMC tonight! Plus, you can read about the stage props in Crowder's GMA blog here.)

Performances were diverse this year. The show opened with a medley from all the "New Artist" nominees. From there, interesting pairings seemed to be the name of the game. Wynonna and Natalie Grant performed a duet together. Multiple A-level artists including Steven Curtis Chapman, Chris Tomlin, Christy Nockels and others debuted "So Great," the first song from the CompassionArt project. Amy Grant was joined by a slew of "American Idol" alumns (Chris Sligh, Mandisa, Phil Stacey) for a tribute to Michael W. Smith. And Mac Powell joined Charlie Daniels to cap off the evening in a rousing rendition of "I Saw the Light." Other performances included Trin-i-tee 5:7, Point of Grace (with Cindy Morgan on piano), Casting Crowns and Switchfoot's beautiful "This is Home." Whatever your musical preference, there was something for everyone.

Check out our youtube channel and our photobucket for exclusive backstage video and photos from the evening.

If you missed it live last week, no worries, the show is re-airing on Gospel Music Channel tonight at 8pm ET and again at 11pm ET. Check out gospelmusicchannel.com for channels and listings.

For a complete list of Dove winners, log on to doveawards.com.