The Gospel Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Publisher of the Year and the 20 most-performed songs of the previous year were announced today on BMI.com and across the company’s social media platforms.
BMI also created a special page featuring performances and short documentaries on the songwriting process behind some of the award-winning songs, along with special messages from the winners in tribute to this generation’s gospel songwriters.
“It is always an honor to celebrate BMI’s incredible community of Gospel music songwriters,” said Catherine Brewton, Vice President Creative, Atlanta. “Their artistry is a gift through which we find the strength to persevere in the face of adversity and the words to rejoice in moments of worship. Today we applaud their outstanding contributions to the genre, which continue to inspire so many with messages of love and hope.”
“Deliver Me (This Is My Exodus),” written by Donald Lawrence and Sir the Baptist, was awarded Song of the Year. Performed by Donald Lawrence and the Tri-City Singers with Le’Andria Johnson. The song stayed on the _Billboard_ Gospel Charts for 99 weeks, reached the number one spot and won the GMA Dove Award for Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year.
This is the first BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Award for Sir the Baptist, while Donald Lawrence earns his eighth Trailblazer Award. Lawrence was previously awarded the Gospel Song of the Year in 2015 for “The Gift” and was also one of the 2009 Trailblazers of Gospel Music honorees.
The Songwriter of the Year award went to none other than Kanye West for writing three of the award-winning Gospel songs “Hands On,” “On God” and “Selah” from his ninth studio album Jesus Is King, which garnered critical acclaim from _Billboard_ and the _GRAMMYS._
Publisher of the Year went to Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing for representing three of BMI’s 20 most-performed Gospel songs including “I Made It Out,” written and performed by Pastor John P. Kee, featuring Zacardi Cortez, “Keep The Faith,” written and performed by Charles Jenkins and “Won’t Let Go,” written and performed by Travis Greene.