“I am thrilled and honored to just be nominated!” says Battistelli. “It’s humbling to be among such great company, especially as a new artist, and being nominated for Song of the Year is a dream come true. I’m still soaking it all in!”

Word Records’ rock newcomers Remedy Drive were also honored in this year’s “New Artist” category, in addition to nods for “Rock/Contemporary Album” (Daylight Is Coming), and “Short Form Music Video” (“Daylight”). Fervent Records’ Dove-award winning hip hop trio Group 1 Crew were also honored in three categories this year, including “Rock/Contemporary Song” (“Keys To The Kingdom”), “Rap/Hip Hop Album” (Ordinary Dreamers), and “Short Form Music Video” (“Movin’”). Word Records’ powerhouse vocalist David Phelps received “Male Vocalist of the Year” and “Long Form Music Video” (“O Holy Night”) nominations, while Word Records’ new worship artist Meredith Andrews garnered two nominations for “Worship Song” (“You’re Not Alone”) and “Praise & Worship Album” (The Invitation). Canaan Records’ legendary Kim Hopper also received two GMA Dove Award nominations including “Bluegrass Recorded Song” (“What Will I Wear”) and “Southern Gospel Album” (I Just Wanted You To Know).

Word Label Group (a division of Word Entertainment comprised of Word Records, Fervent Records, Myrrh Records, Canaan Records and Word Music Publishing) garnered 38 nominations, including top categories “Song,” “Male Vocalist” (David Phelps), “Female Vocalist” (Francesca Battistelli) as well as “New Artist” (Francesca Battistelli and Remedy Drive).

Word Distribution, another division of Word Entertainment, collected an additional 17 nominations including two nominations for “Song of the Year” (Chris Sligh and Natalie Grant), “Female Vocalist of the Year” (Natalie Grant), and “New Artist of the Year” (Chris Sligh).

Word Music was represented with five nominations, including two for “Musical of the Year,” one for “Youth/Children’s Musical of the Year,” and two for “Choral Collection of the Year.”

Encompassing distributed labels, artists, affiliated producers, published writers and printed collections, Word Entertainment has representation in 31 of 43 total nomination categories.

A full list of Word Entertainment and Word Label Group finalists are below. The GMA Dove Awards event will be held April 23, 2009 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.

Word Entertainment, a Warner/Curb company, is comprised of Word Distribution, Word Music and Word Label Group’s Word Records, Fervent Records, Myrrh Records, Canaan Records and Word Music Publishing. Leading the industry with over 50 years of music making history, Word Entertainment represents some of Christian entertainment’s top brands, including award-winning artists Point Of Grace, BarlowGirl, Mark Schultz, Randy Travis, Selah, Natalie Grant, Aaron Shust, Big Daddy Weave and Nicole C. Mullen, in addition to Big Idea's successful VeggieTales video series.

Song of the Year
"Empty Me"; Chris Sligh, Clint Lagerberg, Tony Wood; Foolish Tool Music (ASCAP), Word Music LLC (ASCAP), Kindacrazy Music (BMI), Row J Seat 9 Songs (ASCAP), New Spring Publishing (ASCAP), Bridge Building Music (BMI)
“I Will Not Be Moved”; Natalie Grant; Nat In The Hat (ASCAP)“I’m Letting Go”; Francesca Battistelli, Tony Wood, Ian Eskelin; Designer Music (SESAC), Word Music LLC (ASCAP), Honest & Popular Songs (SESAC), Row J Seat 9 Songs (ASCAP), New Spring Publishing Inc.

Male Vocalist of the Year
David Phelps

Female Vocalist of the Year
Francesca Battistelli
Natalie Grant

New Artist of the Year
Francesca Battistelli
Remedy Drive
Chris Sligh

Producer of the Year
Brown Bannister
Ian Eskelin
Bernie Herms
Jason Ingram, Rusty Varenkamp

Rock Recorded Song of the Year
“Better Man”; Satisfied; DecembeRadio; Josh Reedy, Brian Bunn, Eric Miker, Boone Daughdrill, Scotty Wilbanks; Slanted Records
"Shine Like The Stars"; Expect The Impossible; Stellar Kart; Adam Agee, Ian Eskelin; Word Records

Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year
“Find You Waiting”; Satisfied; DecembeRadio; Josh Reedy, Brian Bunn, Eric Miker, Boone Daughdrill, Scotty Wilbanks; Slanted Records
“Keys To The Kingdom”; Ordinary Dreamers; Group 1 Crew; Manwell Reyes, Pablo Villatoro, Andy Anderson, Noe A. Chapparo; Fervent Records
"Washed By The Water"; The Heat; NEEDTOBREATHE; Bear Rinehart, Bo Rinehart; Atlantic Records

Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year
"I Will Not Be Moved"; Relentless; Natalie Grant; Natalie Grant; Curb Records
“I’m Letting Go”; My Paper Heart; Francesca Battistelli; Francesca Battistelli, Ian Eskelin, Tony Wood; Fervent Records

Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year
“A New Hallelujah”; A New Hallelujah; Michael W. Smith; Michael W. Smith, Debbie Smith, Paul Baloche; Reunion Records
“Dependence”; Jamie Slocum; Jamie Slocum; Curb Records

Bluegrass Recorded Song of the Year
“What Will I Wear”; I Just Wanted You To Know; Kim Hopper; Deborah Bailey; Canaan Records

Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
“Big Mighty God”; Nothin’ But Good; The Mike LeFevre Quartet; Lee Black, Sue C. Smith, Kenna West; Canaan Records
“Yahweh”; The Ride; The Hoppers; Paula Stefanovich; Canaan Records

Country Recorded Song of the Year
"I Wish"; How You Live Deluxe Edition; Point Of Grace; Cindy Morgan, Phil Madeira; Word Records

Urban Recorded Song of the Year
“No Looking Back”; No Looking Back; Damita; Damita Haddon; Tyscot Records

Worship Song of the Year
“A New Hallelujah”; Michael W. Smith, Debbie Smith, Paul Baloche; Word Music LLC, SmittyFly Music, This Is Your Time Music, Integrity’s Hosanna! Music, Leadworship Songs
“Breathe On Me”; Natalie Grant; Nat In The Hat Music
“You’re Not Alone”; Meredith Andrews; Word Music LLC

Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year
Ordinary Dreamers; Group 1 Crew; Christopher Stevens, Andy Anderson, Sam Mizell; Fervent Records

Rock Album of the Year
Satisfied; DecembeRadio; Scotty Wilbanks; Slanted Records

Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year
Daylight Is Coming; Remedy Drive; Ian Eskelin; Word Records
Expect The Impossible; Stellar Kart; Ian Eskelin; Word Records
Hello; After Edmund; Scotty Wilbanks; Slanted Records

Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year
My Paper Heart; Francesca Battistelli; Ian Eskelin; Word Records
Relentless; Natalie Grant; Bernie Herms, Shaun

Inspirational Album of the Year
Infinite Grace; Women of Faith Worship Team; Chance Scoggins; Myrrh Records

Southern Gospel Album of the Year
I Just Wanted You To Know; Kim Hopper; Dave Clark, Kim Hopper; Canaan Records

Country Album of the Year
Around the Bend; Randy Travis; Kyle Lehning; Warner Bros. Records

Urban Album of the Year
No Looking Back; Damita; Gerald Haddon, Tim & Bob, Deitrick Haddon, Courtney Horton, David Garcia; Tyscot Records

Instrumental Album of the Year
Always There; Harold Rayford; Antoine Chamber; Tyscot Records

Children's Music Album of the Year
Absolute Modern Worship for Kids 4; Phoebe Ebensberger, Abie Ebensberger, Joseph O’Brien, Timmy O’Brien, Mikey O’Brien, Abbie Chapman, Meghan O’Brien, Adelaide Bauer, Kristen Bauer, Karissa Selby, Emma Rose Williamson, Tyler Beiden, Garrett Williamson; Chance Scoggins; Fervent Records

Christmas Album of the Year
Christmas Songs; Fernando Ortega; John Andrew Schreiner, Fernando Ortega; Curb Records
Home For Christmas; BarlowGirl; Otto Price; Fervent Records, Curb Records
Peace on Earth; Casting Crowns; Mark Hall, Mark A. Miller; Beach Street

Praise & Worship Album of the Year
A New Hallelujah; Michael W. Smith; Michael W. Smith; Reunion Records
The Invitation; Meredith Andrews; Jason Ingram, Rusty Varenkamp; Word Records

Musical of the Year
Child Of Wonder; Lari Goss, Rob Howard; Word Music
East to West; Gary Rhodes; Word Music

Youth/Children's Musical of the Year
The Christmas County Spelling Bee; Celeste Clydesdale; Clydesdale & Clydesdale, Word Music

Choral Collection of the Year
I’ll Say Yes; Carol Cymbala; Word Music

Short Form Music Video of the Year
Daylight; Remedy Drive; John Erwin, Andy Erwin; Erwin Brothers Motion Pictures; Word Records
Movin’; Group 1 Crew; John Erwin, Andy Erwin; Dan Atchison; Erwin Brothers Motion Pictures; Fervent Records

Long Form Music Video of the Year
O Holy Night; David Phelps; David Phelps, Jimmy Abegg; David Phelps, Jim Chaffee, Jimmy Abegg, Ben Pearson; MG&A; Word Records

For more information on Francesca Battistelli, visit the JFH Artists Database.