Dove Awards: CeCe Winans wins first Artist of the Year prize, Anne Wilson, TobyMac shine

Leave it to CeCe Winans to sum up the spirit of the Gospel Music Association Dove Awards. As she stood on stage, holding her first-ever trophy for Artist of the Year, she didn’t respond with a speech, but a hymn.

“To God be the glory,” she sang, and the audience of peers and fans quickly joined in.

“…To God be the glory, for the things he has done.”

The annual awards show – which recognizes all genres of contemporary Christian and gospel music – returned Tuesday to Allen Arena at Nashville’s Lipscomb University. Attendees and media were asked to keep the winners under wraps until Friday evening, when the show aired on Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN).

This year, a performance-packed night culminated in a long overdue honor for Winans, one of gospel music’s all-time greats. And there were plenty more surprises, triumphant moments and performances that defined the ceremony in 2022.

Winans’ winning night

In addition to Artist of the Year, Winans also picked up the Song of the Year award for “Believe For It.” The song was the title track of her 2021 live album, and co-written with Dwan Hill, Kyle Lee, and Mitch Wong.

“When we come together, and we love each other and we stand for righteousness, it's amazing what God will do.” she said.

Anne Wilson's journey to 'My Jesus'

The 20-year-old Kentucky native was named Best New Artist at this year’s Doves, and has quickly become one of CCM’s brightest young stars, chiefly on the strength of her 2021 debut single “My Jesus.” The song was the result of a musical awakening Wilson had after losing her older brother in a car accident. As she performed it at this year’s Doves, she remembered sitting at the piano the morning after his death, and singing “What a Beautiful Name” by Brooke Ligertwood of Hillsong.

“As I was playing, my parents overheard, and asked if I would sing (the song) at the funeral,” she said. “It was the first time I had ever sang in front of anyone. The song is an integral part of the story of the song ‘My Jesus.’ I'm so grateful that I get to share how the Lord turned a tragedy into something so beautiful.”

Seconds later, Ligertwood joined Wilson on stage, and the two launched into the refrain of “Beautiful Name.”

Erica Campbell and Chris Tomlin bridge the gap

Of all the annual awards shows held in Music City, the Doves are the most diverse – putting rock, rap, bluegrass, soul, pop and country performers on the same stage.

This year’s co-hosts – Erica Campbell of gospel soul duo Mary Mary and CCM star Chris Tomlin – reflected that breadth with a clear love of one another’s work, and plenty of humor.

“We may not all sound the same, but our message is the same,” Tomlin said.

To illustrate, Campbell sang a bit of Tomlin’s “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone),” but then asked Tomlin to try her southern rap-inspired “I Luh God.”

“You don’t luh God?” Tomlin gamely rapped. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Nailed it!” Campell told him.

TobyMac returns from tragedy

The most joyful musical moment of the night came right after TobyMac recalled a personal tragedy. In 2019, the Christian music mainstay’s firstborn son died of an accidental overdose at age 21.

On stage, he said there were times he didn’t think he would write another song – “much less…a song that felt like joy. But all I can tell you is I've learned that our God is kind. He's good. He might not always give us what we want, or take away the pain, but he is right there in it with us. I've learned that he doesn't leave. He remains.”

He then launched into the uplifting “The Goodness,” with Blessing Offor on piano and dozens of spirited vocalists.

Impactful performances

Crowder opened the show with his seat rumbling southern rocker “Good God Almighty.” More than a dozen female talents including Karen Peck joined forces on a Southern gospel rendition of “Working On a Building.”

Steven Curtis Chapman treated the Doves audience to a brisk medley of career-spanning hits, including “The Great Adventure” and the new “Don’t Lose Heart” (“Boy, 35 years went by in a hurry,” he said between tunes.)

Other highlights included Phil Wickham’s arena-captivating “Holy is the Lord” (which followed a win for Best Worship Album), Gateway Worship Español’s grooving “Danzando” (the group ecstatically received the prize for Spanish Language Recorded Song of the Year) and a show-closing powerhouse performance by Maverick City Music that ensured no one left early.

An encore presentation of the Dove Awards airs October 28 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. CT. It can also be watched on TBN’s website and official app – visit TBN.org for local channel information and more.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Dove Awards: CeCe Winans wins first Artist of the Year prize, Anne Wilson, TobyMac shine