LeAnn Rimes, Ricky Skaggs Among Country's Award-Winners

LeAnn Rimes photo by David McClister, courtesy of Curb Records.

April 25, 2008 - LeAnn Rimes and Ricky Skaggs received trophies Wednesday night during the Gospel Music Association’s 39th annual Dove Awards at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House, where a number of country artists took part in a dozen live performances.

LeAnn’s contribution to the Evan Almighty soundtrack, "Ready For A Miracle," claimed Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year, while Ricky Skaggs & The Whites’ Salt Of The Earth earned Bluegrass Album. Sawyer Brown’s Mark Miller also took home an honor as producer of Casting Crowns’ The Altar And The Door, honored as the top Pop/Contemporary Album.

A couple of behind-the-scenes figures from country music also scored trophies during the event.
Carrie Underwood’s producer, Mark Bright, took a trophy as the producer of the Isaacs’ Big Sky, voted best Country Album. And Bernie Herms, who’s played keyboards on a number of Brad Paisley hits, won Song of the Year and Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song as a co-writer of Casting Crowns’ "East To West." Bernie’s wife, Natalie Grant, was also named Female Vocalist of the Year.

Natalie shared the spotlight with Wynonna in performing "Bring It All Together," and new country artist Phil Stacey — a former "American Idol" contestant — participated in a tribute to Michael W. Smith with Amy Grant, Chris Sligh and Mandisa. Ricky and the Whites delivered "Solid Rock," and Charlie Daniels took part in the finale, a multi-act performance of the country-gospel classic "I’ll Fly Away."

Unrelated to the Doves, singer-songwriter John Hiatt was announced yesterday as the recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award for songwriting during the seventh annual Americana Music Association Honors & Awards, slated for Sept. 18. John is a successful rocker in his own right, but he’s also written a bevy of former country hits, including Suzy Bogguss’ "Drive South," the Desert Rose Band’s "She Don’t Love Nobody" and Rosanne Cash’s "The Way We Make A Broken Heart."