NASHVILLE, Tenn. – March 27, 2008 – Casting Crowns, The Clark Sisters, Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Marvin Sapp, Switchfoot, Steven Curtis Chapman, Chris Tomlin, Trin-i-tee 5:7, David Crowder*Band, Israel Houghton; and Charlie Daniels with Mac Powell and other performers to be announced in a special Grand Ole Opry segment are the first performers announced for the 39th Annual GMA Dove Awards telecast, according to the Gospel Music Association (GMA) and Gospel Music Channel (GMC).

Gospel and Christian music’s biggest night of the year will take place live on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 in Nashville at the Grand Ole Opry House and will be broadcast live nationwide on the Gospel Music Channel television network from 8 – 10 p.m. (ET). Gospel Music Channel is the exclusive television home for the GMA Dove Awards. GMC is the fastest growing television network in America and can be seen in 40 million homes across the country on DIRECTV channel 338, cable systems including Comcast, Time Warner, Cox, Charter, and Knology as well as on Verizon FiOS. In addition to the live telecast, GMC will present back-to-back encore broadcasts that night and additional re-airings following.

Additional performers, presenters and special segments will be announced soon. Tickets for the 39th Annual GMA Dove Awards are currently available at TicketMaster or www.doveawards.com.

While the awards are the purpose of the show, music performances will definitely share center stage at the Dove Awards, showcasing some of gospel music’s hottest and most diverse artists.

Casting Crowns appears on the Dove Awards as one of the top nominees of the year. Frontman/songwriter Mark Hall leads all nominees with six individual nominations including Male Vocalist and Song of the Year. The band has an additional four nominations including Artist and Group of the Year nods.

Progressive worship band David Crowder*Band has five nominations including Group of the Year, and frontman David Crowder earned three individual nominations for Worship Song of the Year and two in the Special Event Album category. Chris Tomlin’s five nominations include Artist of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year and Song of the Year.

Switchfoot makes its first performance appearance at the Dove Awards this year, arriving at the evening with three nominations – Rock/Contemporary Album, Rock/Contemporary Song and Short Form Music Video. Additionally, lead singer Jon Foreman is nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year.

Gospel’s legendary sister act The Clark Sisters have four nominations including ones for Group and Artist of the Year. Michael W. Smith and Steven Curtis Chapman, the most honored artists in Dove Awards history, each have three nominations this year as does Israel & New Breed’s Israel Houghton.

Amy Grant is nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year, while Marvin Sapp is up for Male Vocalist of the Year honors. Gospel trio Trin-i-tee 5:7 is nominated for Urban Song and Urban Album. Charlie Daniels is honored as a nominee in the Special Event Album category as is Mac Powell (of Third Day), who has a total of two nominations.