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.

The 39th Annual GMA Dove Awards are being produced for the Gospel Music Channel by Steve Gilreath. The show will be directed by Ron de Moreas, an accomplished director of concerts, awards shows, live events and series television, including Salt Lake Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony, Survivor: Central Park Finale, SAG Awards and many others.

The American Bible Society (www.bibles.com) is the presenting sponsor of the 2008 telecast and the designated charity of the 39th Annual GMA Dove Awards.

About GMA:
Founded in 1964, the Gospel Music Association serves as the face and voice for the gospel/Christian music community and is dedicated to exposing, promoting and celebrating the gospel through music of all styles including pop, rock, praise & worship, black gospel, R&B, hip hop, southern gospel, country, and more. The GMA community consists of 4,000 members including agents, artists, church leaders, managers, promoters, radio personnel, record company executives, retailers, songwriters and other industry visionaries. The GMA produces the GMA Dove Awards, GMA Music Week, GMA Music in the Rockies, and the GMA Academy. For more information, please visit www.gospelmusic.org.

About Gospel Music Channel
Gospel Music Channel (www.GospelMusicChannel.com) is the first and only 24/7 television network dedicated to the rich history and contemporary sounds of Gospel/Christian music and its many different genres and artists. From rock to rap, country to soul, southern to hip-hop, Gospel Music Channel crosses cultures and generations. From the soulful sounds of CeCe Winans and Aretha Franklin to the country roots of Carrie Underwood and Tim McGraw, and the contemporary stylings of Casting Crowns, Kirk Franklin and Natalie Grant and everyone in between, the Gospel Music Channel’s got it all. The network’s program schedule features artist biographies, music specials, live concerts, and hosted music videos for the entire family. Gospel Music Channel is one of the fastest-growing networks in television today and can be seen in nearly 40 million homes on various cable systems around the country and on DIRECTV.