Mary Mary, Jonathan Nelson and Steven Curtis Chapman are among those who will perform at this year’s anticipated Dove Awards ! Set to take place April 23 in Nashville, the 2009 Dove Awards will also feature performances from Natalie Grant, Group 1 Crew, MercyMe, Third Day, Chris Tomlin and Chris Sligh. Brandon Heath and Francesca Battistelli will also take the stage during the Live! broadcast set to air on the Gospel Music Channel (GMC). As previously revealed on Singersroom, “Never Would Have Made It” singer Marvin Sapp leads the pack of nominees with an Artist of the Year nomination. Sapp, along with Kirk Franklin, Deitrick Haddon, Jonathan Nelson, and Mary Mary have been nominated and are expected to attend the Live! presentation of the 40th Annual DOVE Awards. Kirk Franklin, who recently picked up a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Song (“Help Me Believe”), has been nominated for both Urban Album (“The Fight Of My Live”) and Urban Recorded Song (“Declaration – This Is It”). Deitrick Haddon, who released the “Love Him Like I Do” led album “Revealed” in 2008, has also been nominated for Urban Album and Urban Recorded Song. Recent Grammy winners Mary Mary nabbed four DOVE Award nominations including recognition for the hit single “Get Up”. Tye Tribbet, Bishop Paul S. Morton, Dorinda Clark Cole, Warryn Campbell, Alvin Slaughter, Martha Munizzi, CeCe Winans, Take 6, Dottie Peoples, The Blind Boys of Alabama, and Damita Haddon round out nominees for the 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards. In related news, Gospel divas and ‘Sunday Best’ hosts Mary Mary are looking forward to creating their own line of denim products through PZI Jeans. “PZI Jeans are great because they fit your hips, but they definitely fit your waist. We have healthy thighs so sometimes (jeans) will fit my thighs but not my waist. These pants fit your waist, they donât sag, so when you sit down your exposing things, but they are really stylish, they are really fun, cute and sexy and COMFORTABLE! So now there is going to be a PZI by Mary Mary,â Erika Campbell explained earlier this year. According to 1800 Gospel, PZI is proud to present Mary Mary’s ongoing spring 2009 tour which will make stops throughout North America. Mary Mary’s forthcoming denim line follows the duos soon to be unveiled Be U line of bath and body products. * In related news, check out our exclusive chat with Next Era/Universal gospel recording star Holy Boy who you may have seen on BET, Jeff Majors or the Word Network HERE > This Week’s Top 10 Gospel Singles (according to the weekly Gospel National Airplay chart) 1. “Souled Out” Hezekiah Walker & LFC (six weeks at no. 1) 2. “Peace & Favor Rest On Us” Kurt Carr & The Kurt Carr Singers 3. “Back II Eden” Donald Lawrence & Co. 4. “Praise Him In Advance” Marvin Sapp 5. “I Trust You” James Fortune & FIYA 6. “It Ain’t Over (Until GOD Says It’s Over)” Maurette Brown-Clark 7. “God In Me” Mary Mary feat. Kierra Kiki Sheard 8. “Get Up” Mary Mary 9. “Praise Him Now” Kierra Sheard 10. “Cover Me” 21:03 feat. Fred Hammond, Smokie Norful, J Moss Inspirational Song of the Week: Mary Mary “God In Me”
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