At this year’s GMA Academy in Nashville Artist and Song Competition, the song winners performed at the Friday night concert hosted by INO Recording Artist Mark Harris and the artist winners performed at a closing night concert at the Academy, hosted by Word Recording Artist Nicole C. Mullen. The winners are:

1st Place Artist Winner – Desiree' Olson of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (www.MySpace.com/DesireeOlson)

2nd Place Artist Winner – Erik Bledsoe of Nashville, Tenn. (www.ErikB.com; www.MySpace.com/ErikBledsoe)

3rd Place Artist Winner – Torrie Hill of Birmingham, Ala. (www.myspace.com/torriehillmusic)

1st Place Song Winner – "A New Song" by Jason Dyba of Nashville, Tenn. (www.MySpace.com/dybamusic)

2nd Place Song Winner – "I'll See My Lord" by Zack Tyson of Cullman, Ala. (www.MySpace.com/ZackTyson)

3rd Place Song Winner – "Jesus Is Coming Back Again" by Gerald Trottman of Hendersonville, Tenn. (www.GeraldTrottman.com; www.MySpace.com/hisrefuge)

The talent competitions were held at Christ Church in Nashville last Friday and Saturday, along with intensive training classes led by music industry professionals that are designed to help aspiring artists and songwriters sharpen their skills and advance their careers. This same competition has produced such best-selling and Dove-Award winning artists as Jars of Clay, Matthew West, BarlowGirl, Stacie Orrico and Nichole Nordeman. The current American Idol champ Jordin Sparks competed and won one of her first major talent competitions at GMA Academy in 2004.

“The GMA Academy competition always reminds me that the music being created by today’s top Christian and gospel artists continues to inspire others to pursue their dreams of a career and/or ministry in music. For the winners of this year’s Academy, we hope that this event will serve as a defining moment in their journey to whatever God holds in store for their futures,” said John W. Styll, president and CEO of the GMA.

The GMA Academy was launched in 1995 for the purpose of educating, encouraging and supporting the growth and development of the next generation of Christian and gospel artists.

These regional winners can now travel to Estes Park, Colo., to compete in the National Competition during GMA Music in the Rockies, Aug. 3-9, 2008. Visit www.gospelmusic.org or www.musicintherockies.com for more details and registration information.

ABOUT THE GMA
Founded in 1964, the Gospel Music Association serves as the face and voice for the Christian/Gospel music community and is dedicated to exposing, promoting and celebrating the gospel through music of all styles including pop, rock, praise & worship, black gospel, R&B, hip hop, southern gospel, country, and more. The GMA community consists of 4,000 members including agents, artists, church leaders, managers, promoters, radio personnel, record company executives, retailers, songwriters and other industry visionaries. The GMA produces the GMA Dove Awards, GMA Music Week, GMA Music in the Rockies, and the GMA Academy. For more information, please visit www.gospelmusic.org.