NASHVILLE, Tenn. – August 7, 2009 – Artist/Songwriter Jake Brothers from Indianapolis was among several aspiring artists and songwriters who were celebrated by music industry executives and leaders after winning multiple honors at the GMA Artist and Song of 2009 National Competition held last week in Nashville during GMA IMMERSE (www.experienceimmerse.com), the Christian music industry’s premier training experience and talent competition.

The GMA Academy Artist & Song of 2009 National Competition is the Christian and gospel music community’s premier talent competition for unsigned artists and songwriters that has in recent years seen entrants like Chris Tomlin, Matthew West, Nichole Nordeman, BarlowGirl and American Idol 2007 winner Jordin Sparks go on to successful music careers.  Fellow American Idol finalist and another former GMA competition winner Chris Sligh hosted this year’s competition finals.  (To watch the Artist Finals which was broadcast live at GodBeat.com, visit http://godbeat.com/godbeat-news/live-broadcast-of-immerse-finals.)

Hundreds of artist and songwriting contestants from all over the United States and Canada competed for grand prizes which included a record development deal with Centricity Music, a “Disney Best of Show” award and performance slot at Night of Joy at Walt Disney World and a Compassion International ministry trip.  Also at stake were GMA’s grand prize titles for Artist and Song 2009 and American Bible Society’s ABS Scripture Song Awards which offered a chance for the winning songs produced by a major Christian music recording label.

At the conclusion of the four-day competition held in conjunction with GMA IMMERSE, Jake Brothers, from Indianapolis, Ind., who performed as both as solo artist and as the Jake Brothers Band and won in both cases.  Jake Brothers Band was chosen as GMA’s Band winner.  As a solo artist, Brothers was runner up to Jared Salte of Alberta, Canada in GMA’s Artist Solo 2009 for contestants in the age category 25 and up.  He was also the recipient of GMA’s “Disney’s Night of Joy Best of Show Award,” which means Brothers will perform at Night of Joy at Walt Disney World, one of the top Christian music events in the country.  Brothers will receive a performance slot at the  "Night of Joy” event at the Walt Disney World® Resort, September 11-12, 2009 in Florida, performing on the same stage as Jars of Clay, Chris Tomlin, P.O.D., Superchick, Newsboys, Kutless, Leeland and Flyleaf. The prize also includes a vacation package at Disney World. 

Shelly E. Johnson was named GMA’s Artist Solo 2009 for contestants in the 13-24 age category.  Centricity Music (www.centricitymusic.com) also chose 24-year-old Johnson to receive its recording development deal.  Centricity Music, an independent label distributed worldwide by Word Distribution and whose artists include Downhere, Andrew Peterson, Circleslide (previous GMA winner), and Jaime Jamgochian.  Johnson’s deal with Centricity will include music and career advice and council, song consultation, demo recordings, and the potential for expansion into an exclusive recording or publishing contract.   This was Johnson’s second year in the GMA competition.  In 2008, she won songwriting awards which included GMA Song of 2008 for “The Power of the Cross,” the song she performed at the Artist Finals this year.

Holly Starr, from Quincy, Wash., was recognized for the ministry emphasis of her music by Compassion International (www.compassion.com), a Christian child advocacy organization which helps more than one million children in 24 countries.  Compassion named her their recipient of the Music & Ministry Experience, an all-expense paid ministry trip to a Compassion International destination.

The Gospel Music Channel (www.gospelmusicchannel.com), the 24-hour, all music entertainment network devoted to the uplifting, inspiring and diverse music that is Gospel, was a competition sponsor for the first time this year, choosing Worship Jazz band TC Carter and the Musical Sensations from Martinsville, Va., as its winner.  TC Carter will appear on GMC’s “Joyful Noise,” hosted by Christine Pullara and be featured with its own artist page on GospelMusicChannel.com. 

In addition to these artists, winners were also honored in several categories defined by musical style and/or age. These winners, too, receive prizes including personal consultation meetings with music industry executives, free tuition to future GMA events, and several other product prizes. The complete list of winners for both the Artist and Song of 2009 are:

GMA ARTIST 2009

GMA Vocal One (ages 13-26)

Winner – Shelly E. Johnson, Franklin, Tenn., www.shellyejohnson.com

Runner-up – Matt Knutson, Longview, Texas, www.myspace.com/mattknutsonmusic

GMA Vocal Two (ages 27 and up)

Winner – Jared Salte, Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada      

Runner-up – Jake Brothers, Indianapolis, Ind., www.jakebrothersmusic.com

GMA Band

Winner – Jake Brothers Band, Indianapolis, Ind., www.jakebrothersmusic.com

Runner-up – T.C. Carter and the Musical Sensations, Martinsville, Va.

GMA Group/Duet

Winner — Denwyler, Spokane, Wash., www.stevenwylie.com and www.evandenlinger.com

Runner-up – Noelle, Raleigh, N.C., http://www.facebook.com/pages/Noelle/122594790016?ref=ts

GMA SONG OF 2009

GMA Amateur Class

“Solid Rock” by Tracey Barker, Round Rock, Texas

GMA Semi-Pro Class

“She Said” by Bev Herrema, Highland Ranch, Colo.           

AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY SCRIPTURE SONG AWARDS

ABS Amateur Class

“Wait,” by Joshua Johnson, Los Angeles, http://www.myspace.com/joshuajohnson

ABS Semi-Pro Class

“Bless the Memories” by Marc Arthur Pierre-Louis, Charlotte, N.C., http://www.marcapl.org

DISNEY NIGHT OF JOY

Jake Brothers, Indianapolis, Ind., www.jakebrothersmusic.com

CENTRICITY MUSIC

Shelly E. Johnson, Franklin, Tenn., www.shellyejohnson.com

COMPASSION INTERNATIONAL

Holly Starr, Quincy, Wash., www.hollystarrmusic.com

GOSPEL MUSIC CHANNEL

TC Carter and the Musical Sensations, Martinsville, Va.    

More than 600 Christian artists, songwriters, worship leaders – and those that want to be someday – gathered last week in Nashville to IMMERSE in a four-day event presented by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) that is the Christian music industry’s premier training experience and talent competition.  The event, held on the campus of Belmont University, offered unparalleled training, professional and personal feedback, one-of-a-kind concerts and a sense of community to uniquely equip creative Christians to impact culture through music both in and out of the church. 

At the conclusion of this year’s IMMERSE, GMA announced the dates for next year’s event – July 28-31 –

as well as an earlybird registration rate of $129 for individuals and $399 for bands.  Complete information is available at www.experienceimmerse.com. 

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 more than 3,000 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 and the GMA Academy. For more information, please visit www.gospelmusic.org.

(article courtesy of GMA)

Video streaming by Ustream. Video source courtesy of Godbeat.com

There’s a little different title for tonight’s post for a totally different reason:  IT HIT ME – and it hit me like a ton of bricks.  We’ve had a blast so far at IMMERSE – and there has been much to talk about.  Today was no different.  From more competitions, critiques and networking – to an awesome night of acoustic music from some awesome songwriters.  IMMERSE continues to prove itself to be a worthwhile event.

Still – it all  boiled down to one moment.  Don Koch fired up the baby grand on stage with a song that, as he puts it, “sat on a shelf for five years.”  Koch continued to explain the song’s initial failure by adding that “absolutely no one wanted it.”  Then, he sang the first line.  That song : “In Christ Alone”.  I sat there (stood, rather, from the wings) and literally cried over lyrics I have heard time and time again.  The song hit me like a ton of bricks.  It was true…it was current…it was what I needed to remind me.

Stop for a minute.  Think about what you are doing.  Right now, you may have a song that has spun its wheels for five years – or longer. You may have written a song that will sit for five years that you just wrote last night.  Who knows if, one day, that song will touch thousands…or even one.  The point of the matter is – God placed that song on your lips, in your heart, and on to paper for a reason.  Please – don’t ever forget that, as writers of Christian music – we are ministering to others.

More to come – but back to the wings I must go.  Aaron Shust is singing “My Savior My God.”

God…is GOOD!

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