Among Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing’s most recognized writers this year was Ian Eskelin, who co-wrote Song of the Year and Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song contender “I’m Letting Go” with Word Records artist Francesca Battistelli. Eskelin was also nominated for Producer of the Year, along with writing on pop-punk band Stellar Kart’s “Shine Like the Stars,” and receiving a nod for Rock Recorded Song. The reigning Producer of The Year garnered eight total Dove nominations as a writer, artist and producer.

BBMP’s Tony Wood was also recognized with multiple nominations in the category of Song of The Year as a co-writer on “I’m Letting Go” and “Empty Me,” recorded by BBMP writer and Brash Records artist Chris Sligh. In addition to the Song of the Year nominations, Wood also received recognition for “I’m Letting Go” in the category of Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song and for “For the Glory of You,” co-written with fellow BBMP writer and INO Records artist Mark Harris, in the category of Inspiration Recorded Song. Wood received an additional nomination as a co-writer on the song “Welcome to the Family,” performed by the Booth Brothers, for Southern Gospel Recorded Song.

In addition to Wood and Eskelin, Chris Sligh for “Empty Me” and Joel Lindsey for “Reason Enough” round out BBMP representation in the category of Song of the Year, totaling three nods in that category alone. Chris Sligh also received a nomination for New Artist of the Year.

Lindsey also collected numerous other nominations in the fields of Southern Gospel Recorded Song for “Reason Enough” and Musical for “God Bless the USA.” The latter he co-created with BBMP writers Sue Smith and Russell Maudlin for Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing. He was additionally honored in the Youth/Children’s Musical category for helping to write “An Island Christmas.”

Besides “God Bless the USA,” Smith was also nominated in the Musical category for “Savior” co-created with David Moffitt and Travis Cottrell for Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing. She claimed a Southern Gospel Recorded Song nomination for “Big Mighty God,” and for Youth/Children’s Musical for “Lifesong,” co-created with BBMP writers Simon Hawkins and Kris Crunk for Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing. She was also recognized for Choral Collection “Glorious Day,” co-created with fellow BBMP writer David Moffitt as well as Travis Cottrell for Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing.

Another BBMP writer represented with a nomination in the category of Inspirational Record Song is Laura Story for the song “Bless the Lord,” the current single form her INO Records release Great God Who Saves. Story’s album received a nomination for Praise & Worship Album, including Story in the company of Michael W. Smith and Chris Tomlin. Story is also in the running in the category of Female Vocalist of the Year. Her first nomination in this category, Story is positioned to be a constant figure in the modern worship moment.

Gaining BBMP’s solo representation in the category of Country Record Song, industry veteran Dave Clark received a nomination for the song “Good Side of Goodbye,” performed by Living Water. Clark is also represented with additional nominations for his role with Caanon Records and producers of multiple projects, and for Youth/ Children’s Musical, Angels We Have Heard.

BBMP writer and studio manager Barry Weeks, who enjoyed the honor earlier this year of a Grammy nomination for Traditional Southern Gospel Album as the producer of the Booth Brothers’ Room For More, received a nomination as a co-writer of the song “Welcome to the Family” in the category of Southern Gospel Song of the Year. In addition, Weeks is also represented in the category of Southern Gospel Album for the Booth Brothers’ Room For More.

“Once again we’re excited to see Brentwood-Benson songwriters so well represented in this year’s Dove Award categories,” says Brentwood Benson Music Publishing President Dale Mathews. “Not only are we thrilled with the number of nominations received, but also proud that our writers were honored in such a wide range of categories. Congratulations to them all!”

The GMA Dove Awards, gospel music’s biggest night of the year, will be broadcast nationwide live on the Gospel Music Channel from 8 – 10 p.m. (ET/PT) on Thursday, April 23, 2009. For a complete list of this year’s nominees, visit: www.gospelmusic.org.

About Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing:
With more than 70,000 copyrights, Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing owns the world’s largest Christian music publishing catalogue as well as the second largest evangelically-styled choral music catalog. Its songs have been recorded by virtually every major singer in the Christian music industry as well as by such renowned artists as Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, Ray Charles, Linda Ronstadt, Amy Grant, Elvis Presley and Willie Nelson. The company’s leading artists in the genre include Jars of Clay, Aaron Shust, and Bebo Norman. Brentwood-Benson also publishes songs recorded by Third Day, Michael W. Smith and Twila Paris. In addition to developing and exploiting copyrights, the publishing group is a leader in the production and marketing of consumer printed and choral music, hymnals and songbooks for the church market. Brentwood-Benson is active in the important Praise & Worship market.