2010 GRAMMYS - THE UNEXPECTED !

The Grammy Awards which was broadcast live by CBS at 8 P.M ET/PT from the Staples center in L.A. wowed lovers of Gospel Music on the 31st of January. The amazement started off in December when the Nomination list was released. It’s the norm for the Expected to be overlooked. Now I don’t mean to undermine the nominated artist (in the Gospel section) but some albums which also did very well last year didn’t even see the Grammy’s break light. Since the nomination in December, we were already expecting the unexpected. Even the Nominations weren’t expected. See for yourself what I mean.

Best Gospel Performance



• "Wait On The Lord" - Donnie McClurkin Featuring Karen Clark Sheard - WINNER

• "Free To Be Me" - Francesca Battistelli

• "Jesus Is Love" - Heather Headley Featuring Smokie Norful

• "I Believe" - Jonny Lang With Fisk Jubilee Singers

• "Born Again" - Third Day


Best Gospel Song





• "God In Me" - Erica Campbell, Tina Campbell & Warryn Campbell, songwriters
Performed by Mary Mary featuring Kierra "KiKi" Sheard - Track from: The Sound - WINNER

• "Born Again" - Tai Anderson, David Carr, Mark Lee & Mac Powell, songwriters
Performed by Third Day - Track from: Revelation

• "City On Our Knees" - Cary Barlowe, Toby McKeehan & Jaime Moore, songwriters
Performed by TobyMac

• "Every Prayer" - Dayna Caddell, Israel Houghton, Aaron Lindsey & Ricardo Sanchez, songwriters
Performed by Israel Houghton & Mary Mary - Track from: The Power Of One

• "The Motions” - Jason Houser, Sam Mizell & Matthew West, songwriters
Performed by Matthew West - Track from: Something To Say


Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album





• Live Revelations - Third Day - WINNER

• The Big Picture - Da' T.R.U.T.H.

• Crash - Decyfer Down

• Innocence & Instinct - Red

• The Dash - John Wells-The Tonic

Now you tell me, how do you compare Da’ T.R.U.T.H. with Red. Worlds apart! Totally different genres and both do lovable music. I really think the Grammy committee should consider splitting this category.

Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album.



• The Power Of One - Israel Houghton - WINNER!

• Speaking Louder Than Before - Jeremy Camp

• The Long Fall Back To Earth - Jars Of Clay

• Love Is On The Move - Leeland

• Freedom - Mandisa

Now this is cruel and funny and I’m laughing out loud. Calling Israel Houghton’s Music Pop? I guess I have to listen again.

Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album



• Jason Crabb - Jason Crabb - WINNER

• Dream On - Ernie Haase & Signature Sound

• The Rock - Tracy Lawrence

• In God's Time - Barry Scott & Second Wind

• Everyday - Triumphant Quartet

Now, I’m really not to familiar with this genre but what happened to Bart Milliard’s Hymned Again and Patty Loveless’ latest Album?

Best Traditional Gospel Album



• Oh Happy Day - Various Artists - EMI Gospel/Vector Recordings - WINNER

• God Don't Never Change - Ashley Cleveland

• The Law Of Confession, Part I - Donald Lawrence & Co.

• The Journey Continues - The Williams Brothers

• How I Got Over - Vickie Winans

Yeah yeah, the Oh Happy day album was good but the album featured some mainstream artist also. And I really don’t know what Vickie Winans latest effort is doing in this category. The album is so contemporary and upbeat. It should have been placed in Contemporary Gospel.

Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album





• Audience Of One - Heather Headley - WINNER

• Renewed - Sheri Jones-Moffett

• Just James - J Moss

• Smokie Norful: Live - Smokie Norful

• Bold Right Life - Kierra Sheard

Now don’t get me wrong, J Moss’s Just James and Kierra Kiki Sheard’s Bold Right Life are two amazing albums and really that’s the type of R&B this generation is familiar with. I have the other albums mentioned in this category and I really had a great time listening to them (especially Sheri Jones-Moffett’s Renewed. Her voice is amazing. You should get the album) but apart from Kierra’s and J Moss’s the rest are basically church music. Anyway it’s all well and it ends well.



Really I had my heart desires concerning this past Grammys. Like seeing Britt Nicole picking up a Grammy for ‘The Lost Get Found’ album ( but sorry she wasn’t even nominated). Also would have loved to have Addison Road, Skillet, Cadia, Switchfoot, Hillsong, Michael W. Smith, Casting crowns, Damita and many more others on the nomination list ( Now don’t say I’m biased cause this guys are really good too, but it’s only a wish any way).



Lastly,I recently gave a friend of mine who listens to strictly Mainstream Music a copy of Skillet’s new CD ‘Awake’ and he was like ‘Oh my, that’s like the best rock album I’ve listened to in a while’. I believe a lot of our CCM and Gospel musicians have what it takes to compete with the mainstream guys so why on earth are they kept in a box in the Grammys (and their category don’t even get TV time. Can you imagine that? ) Dear Grammy Committee, Please set them free and let them soar. That is nominate them with the main category, let Leeland compete against The Dave Mathews band, Let Britt Nicole Compete against Pink, T-pain with Lecrae and Mandisa Maybe against Beyonce. They’ve got what it takes and if they don’t let them soar, their wings would get stronger.