Gaither Music Group Artists Claim Four Dove Awards

Nashville, TN (April, 2008) – Three Gaither Music Group artists were among the big winners at the 39th Annual Dove Awards presentation Wednesday night at the Grand Ole Opry House .  Ernie Haase and Signature Sound captured two awards, while Mark Lowry and the Isaacs each claimed one in the nationally-televised awards fest. 

            Ernie Haase and Signature Sound captured Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year and Southern Gospel Album of the Year for Get Away Jordan, produced by Lari Goss.  Country Album of the Year went to the Isaacs for Big Sky, produced by award-winning producer Mark Bright (Rascal Flatts, Sara Evans).  Mark Lowry took home the award for Inspirational Album of the Year for I Love To Tell The Story, A Hymns Collection, produced by Lowry and Paul Johnson. 

            Of their win, group founder Ernie Haase commented, “This group of guys has a lot of fun and we do this music because we love it.  These two Dove Awards are like cherries on top of the sundae… we don’t have to have them, but they sure are sweet!  We’ve worked hard to grow as people and as artists, and it’s nice to know our industry affirms what we are doing.”

            The Isaacs matriarch, Lily Isaacs, expressed the family’s delight at their first country album win.  “We were so thrilled and excited to win the Country Album of the Year because this was our first opportunity to stretch our wings further into the country music field, thanks to the support of Gaither Music Group and the help of Mark Bright, who is such an amazing producer in country music.  We are proud of the album and we’re very humbled by the fact that our industry recognized the artistry Mark helped us create on this album.  We were proud to be a part of it, let alone receive an award for it!”

            Mark Lowry was equally thrilled.  “Winning this particular Dove award was a great honor because it was an all-singing project.  I’ve won a Dove for comedy but never for singing.  So this is quite a treat.  But the credit must go to Paul Johnson.  He did such a great job arranging and leading the orchestra and co-producing I Love To Tell The Story… A Hymns collection.  It couldn’t have been made without him.”

            The Isaacs performed in the show’s finale with Charlie Daniels, Third Day’s Mac Powell and Angella Christie on “I’ll Fly Away,” which was part of a tribute to the Opry’s relationship with gospel music.