Fervent Records’ newest artist Sidewalk Prophets was honored with their first nominations in this year’s “New Artist” grouping, in addition to a nod in the “Pop/Contemporary Recorded Album of the Year” category. Atlantic Records’ NEEDTOBREATHE received three nominations including “Group of the Year”, “Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year” (“Lay ‘Em Down”), and “Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year.” Fervent Records’ popular sister rock act BarlowGirl was nominated for “Rock/Contemporary Album” and “Short Form Music Video.” Word Records’ country music favorite Diamond Rio was nominated for “Song of the Year” (“God is There”), “Country Recorded Song of the Year” (“God is There”), and “Country Album of the Year.”

Word Label Group (a division of Word Entertainment comprised of Word Records, Fervent Records, Myrrh Records, and Canaan Records) garnered 27 nominations, including top categories “Artist,” “Song,” “Group,” “Female Vocalist”, “Male Vocalist” as well as “New Artist.”

Word Distribution collected an additional 20 nominations including “Song of the Year” (“Let The Waters Rise”, MIKESCHAIR), “Male Vocalist of the Year” (Michael English), and “Female Vocalist of the Year” (Natalie Grant).

Word Music Print was represented with 8 nominations, including three for “Musical of the Year,” two for “Youth/Children’s Musical of the Year,” and three for “Choral Collection of the Year.”

The Breen Agency, another division of Word Entertainment handling artist touring and booking, was acquired by Word earlier in 2009. This division garnered nominations in “Song of the Year” (“Revelation Song”, Phillips, Craig, & Dean), “Female Vocalist of the Year” (Laura Story), and “Inspirational Album of the Year” (Fearless, Phillips, Craig & Dean) with 3 total nominations.

Encompassing distributed labels, artists, affiliated producers, published writers and printed collections, Word Entertainment has representation in 31 of 43 total nomination categories. A full list of Word Entertainment and Word Label Group finalists are below. The GMA Dove Awards event will be held April 21, 2010 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, airing on the Gospel Music Channel, Sunday, April 25 at 8 PM ET.

A leader in the music industry for 59 years, Word Entertainment, a Warner/Curb company, is a unique, comprehensive entertainment company comprised of multi-faceted artist service departments including publishing, merchandising, booking, and online initiatives. Word Entertainment represents some of the top names and brands in music, including Diamond Rio, Point Of Grace, BarlowGirl, Mark Schultz, Big Daddy Weave, Group 1 Crew, Sidewalk Prophets, pureNRG, Remedy Drive, and Francesca Battistelli, and is home to Word Distribution, Word Print, The Breen Agency, Word Music Publishing and Word Label Group’s Word Records, Fervent Records, Myrrh Records and Squint Records.

Song of the Year
"Free To Be Me”; Francesca Battistelli; Francesca Battistelli; Word
"God Is There”; Diamond Rio; Marty Roe, Jimmy Olander, Bernie Herms, Ole, Warner Chappell, Word
“Let The Waters Rise”; MIKESCHAIR; Sam Tinnesz, Mike Grayson, Ben Glover “Revelation Song”; Phillips, Craig, & Dean; Jennie Lee Riddle; Jennie Lee Riddle, Gateway Create Publishing, Integrity’s Praise Music

Male Vocalist of the Year
Mark Schultz
Michael English

Female Vocalist of the Year
Francesca Battistelli
Natalie Grant
Laura Story

Group of the Year
NEEDTOBREATHE

Artist of the Year
Francesca Battistelli

New Artist of the Year
Sidewalk Prophets

Producer of the Year
Bernie Herms
Ian Eskelin
Jason Ingram, Rusty Varenkamp

Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year
“America”; America; Tracy Edmond, Ken White; Curb Records
“Go On”; The Forecast EP; B. Reith; Brian Reith; Gotee Records
“Movin’”; Ordinary Dreamers; Group 1 Crew; Group 1 Crew, Jeremy James, Byron Chambers, Christopher Stevens; Fervent Records

Rock Recorded Song of the Year
“Fight Inside”; Innocence & Instinct; Red; Jasen Rauch; Rob Graves; Jason McArthur; Bernie Herms; Essential

Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year
"Lay ‘Em Down”; The Outsiders; NEEDTOBREATHE; Bear Rinehart, Bo Rinehart; Atlantic Records
“Can’t Take Away”; MIKESCHAIR; MIKESCHAIR; Sam Tinnesz, Mike Grayson, Jason Ingram; Curb Records

Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year
"Free To Be Me”; Francesca Battistelli; Francesca Battistelli; Word
“Let The Waters Rise”;MIKESCHAIR; MIKESCHAIR; Sam Tinnesz, Mike Grayson, Jason Ingram; Curb Records
“My Deliverer”; Freedom; Mandisa; Chad Cates, Jason Walker, Tony Wood; Sparrow Records
“Until The Whole World Hears”; Until The Whole World Hears; Casting Crowns; Mark Hall, Bernie Herms, Jason McArthur, Roger Glidewell; Beachstreet

Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year
“Hosanna”; You Deliver Me; Selah; Brenton Brown, Paul Baloche; Curb Records
“Jesus Saves”; Jesus Saves Live; Travis Cottrell; Travis Cottrell, David Moffitt; Indelible Creative Group

Country Recorded Song of the Year
"God Is There”; Diamond Rio; Marty Roe, Jimmy Olander, Bernie Herms, Ole, Warner Chappell, Word
“King Of The World”; How You Live (Deluxe Edition); Point of Grace; Cindy Morgan; Word Records

Worship Song of the Year
“New Song We Sing”; Meredith Andrews, Jason Ingram, Kevin Everette Smith; Word Music, Peertunes, J Ingram Music, Grange Hill Music

Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year
Now Is Not Forever; B. Reith; Bryan Lenox, Jamie Moore, Sal Oliveri, Michael Gungor; Gotee

Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year
Love & War; BarlowGirl; Otto Price; Fervent Records
The Outsiders; NEEDTOBREATHE; Rick Beato, NEEDTOBREATHE, Jim Scott, John Alagia; Atlantic Records

Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year
Come Alive; Mark Schultz; Shaun Shankel, Brown Bannister, Bernie Herms, Paul Mills; Word Records
These Simple Truths; Sidewalk Prophets; Ian Eskelin; Fervent Records
MIKESCHAIR; MIKESCHAIR; Jason Ingram, Rusty Varenkamp; Curb Records

Inspirational Album of the Year
A Grand New Day; Women of Faith Worship Team; Chance Scoggins; Myrrh Records
Jesus Saves Live; Travis Cottrell; Travis Cottrell; Indelible Creative Group
You Deliver Me; Selah; Jason Kyle, Todd Smith, Alan Hall; Curb Records
Fearless; Phillips, Craig & Dean; Bernie Herms; INO Records

Southern Gospel Album of the Year
North American Live!; The Hoppers; Kim Hopper, Connie Hopper, Dean Hopper, Mike Hopper; Canaan Records

Country Album of the Year
The Reason; Diamond Rio; Michael D. Clute, Jimmy Olander; Word Records

Traditional Gospel Album of the Year
Stepping Up & Stepping Out; Clarence Fourtain, Sam Butlet, and The Boys; Jim Tullion, Clarence Fountain, Sam Butler; Tyscot Records, One Entertainment

Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year
America; Tracy Edmond; Eric Morgeson, DJ Butcher; Curb Records

Children's Music Album of the Year
Great Worship Songs for Kids 3; GWS Kids Praise Band; Luke Gambill; Great Worship Songs
The Real Thing; pureNRG; Rob Hawkins, Mark Hammond; Fervent Records
Veggie Tales: Here I Am To Worship; Featuring Natalie Grant & Aaron Shust; Steven V Taylor; Big Idea

Special Event Album of the Year
Hip Hope 2009; Various; Toby McKeehan, Christopher Stevens, Grits, Maurice Henderson, Canton Jones, Brian Jerrell Cook, KJ-52, Great JSN, The Aurthur Washington, Michael Boyer, Akil Thompson, Curtis Zachary, Abraham David; Gaskin, Tony Stone, Kenneth Bell, Krazy Eights, Shonlock, Brian Reith, Knine, Flynn Adam, Jason Blocker, Proxy, Rootbeer; Gotee Records

Christmas Album of the Year
Christ Is Come; Big Daddy Weave; Jeremy Redmond; Fervent Records

Praise & Worship Album of the Year
A Grand New Day; Women of Faith Worship Team; Chance Scoggins; Myrrh
Jesus Saves Live; Travis Cottrell; Travis Cottrell; Indelible Creative Group

Musical of the Year
A Baby Changes Everything; Deborah Craig-Claar, David T. Clydesdale; Word Music
Glorious Impossible; Tom Fettke, Camp Kirkland; Word Music
See What A Morning; Mark McClure, Camp Kirkland; Word Music

Youth/Children's Musical of the Year
GPS (God’s Plan of Salvation); Celeste Clydesdale, David T. Clydesdale; Word Music
The Best Christmas Present Ever!; Celeste Clydesdale, David T. Clydesdale; Word Music

Choral Collection of the Year
Hallelujah! Light Has Come; Various Artists; Word Music
Hymns of the Ages; Lari Goss; Word Music
Let The Worshippers Arise; Various Arrangers; Word Music

Recorded Music Packaging
Forget And Not Slow Down; Relient K; Matthew Thiessen, Linden Frederick; Davy Baysinger; Davy Baysinger for Royal Empire Design; Linden Frederick; Ethan Luck, Cale Glendening; Mono vs Stereo

Short Form Music Video of the Year
Beautiful Ending; BarlowGirl; Tim Morgan; Rocky Farm Pictures; Fervent Records
Free To Be Me; Francesca Battistelli; Andy & Jon Erwin; Dan Atchison; Alabama Production Group; Fervent Records

Word Music Publishing snagged several nominations including two for “Song of the Year” (“Free To Be Me”, Francesca Battistelli and “God Is There”, Diamond Rio),“Producer of the Year” (Bernie Herms), “Rock Recorded Song of the Year” (“Fight Inside”), and “Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year” (“My Deliverer” and “Until The Whole World Hears”) among others.