DATE: April 9, 2008

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Allen Smith, editor of SGN Scoops Magazine, is proud to announce the Top 10 ballot for the 2008 SGN Scoops Diamond Awards is now available online.

Allen Smith said, “We had such a strong turn out for the nominations this year.  Our Top 10 ballot looks really great this year!  Thank you to everyone who placed a vote for your favorites!  Now it’s time to vote for the Top 10 finalists!”

The final nominees will come from this Top 10 ballot.  Fans are encouraged to get their votes in for their favorite songs, albums, artists, websites, individuals, etc. for this year’s awards program.

The online ballot is designed for fans to vote for their favorite artists for each award.  Visit the Diamond Awards website at http://diamondawardsonline.com to place your vote.  The deadline for voting is May 17, 2008.

The 2008 awards program will once again be hosted by two of Southern Gospel’s most beloved faces – Karen Peck Gooch (of Karen Peck & New River) and Johnathan Bond (of Young Harmony).

The 2008 SGN Scoops’ Diamond Awards will take place on Friday, September 12, in Louisville, Kentucky during the week of the National Quartet Convention.  The program will begin at 1:00 p.m. and is free to the public.

The first confirmed performer for the 2008 SGN Scoops Diamond Awards is The Hoppers – one of Southern Gospel music’s most celebrated names.  The Hoppers were awarded five SGN Scoops Diamond Awards last year – including Album of the Year (The Ride), Group of the Year, and Male & Female Vocalists of the Year (Dean & Kim Hopper).  Claude Hopper was also awarded the J.D. Sumner Living Legend Award.

For more information, please visit http://www.diamondawardsonline.com.

The Top 10 in each category are listed below:

J.D. SUMNER LIVING LEGEND AWARD: 
Martin Cook, Eva Mae LeFevre, LuLu Roman, Ray Reese, Ronny Hinson, Brian Dockins, Ed O’Neal, Peg McKamey Bean, Les Beasley, Gerald Williams

GROUP OF THE YEAR:
Kingdom Heirs, Legacy Five, Brian Free & Assurance, Inspirations, Gaither Vocal Band, Hoppers, Triumphant Quartet, Perrys, McKameys, Isaacs

TRIO OF THE YEAR:
Booth Brothers, Greater Vision, HisSong, Karen Peck & New River, Faith 3, The Pathfinders, Hope’s Call, Talley Trio, Testify, Alan Harris Family

DUET OF THE YEAR:
Amazed, Goldens, Hearts of Faith, Aaron & Amanda Crabb, Tim & Mary Alive Lovelace, Proffits, Jeff & Sheri Easter, Inheritance, Josh & Ashley Franks, Young Harmony

SOLOIST OF THE YEAR:
Jason Crabb, Mark Bishop, Brian Bracey, Tony Gore, Jimmy Dooley, Kirk Talley, Ron Brewer, Ivan Parker, Bryan Langley, Kenny Bishop

SUNRISE AWARD:
Dills, Austins Bridge, English Family, The Pathfinders, Hearts of Faith, Brian Bracey, Jimmy Dooley, Robert Matelski, Ron Brewer, Sweetwater Revival

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR:
Dean Hopper (Hoppers), Dennis Humphries (HisSong), Ryan Napier (Relations Quartet), Ronnie Booth (Booth Brothers), Brian Free (Brian Free & Assurance), Scott Fowler (Legacy Five), Dearl Lemons (The Pathfinders), David Sutton (Triumphant Quartet), Guy Penrod (Gaither Vocal Band), Ricky Atkinson (Ricky Atkinson & Compassion)

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR:
Susan Whisnant (Whisnants), Sheri Easter (Jeff & Sheri Easter), Kelly Bowling (Mike & Kelly Bowling), Naomi Sego (Naomi & the Segos), Kim Hopper (Hoppers), Dawn McGuire (The Pathfinders), TaRanda Greene (Greenes), Sonya Isaacs (Isaacs), Karen Peck Gooch (Karen Peck & New River), Lauren Talley (Talley Trio)

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR:
Ricky Atkinson, Mark Bishop, Jimmy Dooley, Wayne Haun, Bill Gaither, Kirk Talley, Rodney Griffin, Cathie Paxon, Gerald Crabb, Ronny Hinson

ANTHONY BURGER INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR:
Nick Succi (Kingsmen), Gordon Mote, Brian Bracey, Jeff Stice (Triumphant Quartet), Stewart Varnado (Dixie Echoes), Sonya Isaacs (Isaacs), Shannon Shelby, Roy Webb, Kim Collingsworth (Collingsworth Family), Ricky Free (Brian Free & Assurance)

CHRISTIAN COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR:
James Wright (Grandpa), Dale Golden, Tim Lovelace, Mark Lowry, Stewart Stallings, Chonda Pierce, Jeff Allen, Tony Greene, Jeff Treece, Aaron Wilburn

BLUEGRASS GOSPEL ARTIST OF THE YEAR:
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Aaron Wilburn, Isaacs, Jeff & Sheri Easter, Chuck Wagon Gang, Austins Bridge, Primitive Quartet, Marksmen, Tim Surrett, Young Harmony

FAVORITE ARTIST WEBSITE:
HisSong (hissongmusic.com), Brian Bracey (onereason.net), Hoppers (thehoppers.com), Goldens (daleandcherylgolden.com), Brian Free & Assurance (brianfreeandassurance.com), Isaacs (theisaacs.musiccitynetworks.com), Ricky Atkinson & Compassion (rickyatkinson.com), Kirk Talley (kirk-talley.com), Faithful Crossings (faithfulcrossings.com), Karen Peck & New River (karenpeckandnewriver.com)

FAVORITE INDUSTRY WEBSITE:
Harper Agency (harperagency.com), SoGospelNews.com (sogospelnews.com), Resting Place Music (restingplacemusic.com), Charles Brady (thesoutherngospel.com), Daywind Music Group (daywind.com), Gaither.com (gaither.com), Singing News Magazine (singingnews.com), Journey Records (journeyrecords.com), SGM Radio Network (sgmradio.com), Beckie Simmon Agency (bsaworld.com)

VIDEO/DVD OF THE YEAR:
Campfire Homecoming (Gaither), Live From Norway (Isaacs), Live In the Journey (Karen Peck & New River), Live In McDonough, GA (Relations Quartet), Celebration 50 (Hoppers), Grace Is Never Far (Wright Family), Together (Gaither Vocal Band/Ernie Haase & Signature Sound), NQC 2007 (NQC), Under Grace (Providence Quartet), My Heart, My Song (Annie McRae)

SONG OF THE YEAR:
“I Still Have It All” (HisSong), “Even On Monday” (Amazed), “I Can Pray” (Dove Brothers Quartet), “Praying Man” (Brian Free & Assurance), “Remember Who He Is” (Mark Bishop), “Grace Is Never Far” (Wright Family), “Garden of Grace” (Kirk Talley), “There Is a God” (Roarks), “The One I’m Dying For” (Isaacs), “I Don’t Sail Alone” (The Pathfinders)

ALBUM OF THE YEAR:
Beyond Words (Kirk Talley), On the Way Up (HisSong), Mercy Answered (The Pathfinders), Big Sky (Isaacs), Front Porch Swing (Wright Family), There Is a God (Roarks), The Old Path (McKameys), Hymns of Gold (Goldens), Journey of Joy (Karen Peck & New River), Abundant Sunshine (Mark Bishop)

About the Diamond Awards
The Diamond Awards were transferred over to the SGN Scoops Magazine three years ago after the original home for the awards, the Gospel Voice Magazine, folded.  The Diamond Awards are a fan based award that allows the fans to choose the nominees as well as the winners each year.  The awards show is based during the National Quartet Convention every September.

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