Canada’s Gospel Vibe Awards 2003

The Vibe Awards are intended to highlight Canadian Christian music. The 2003 Vibe Awards weekend begins with a “New Artist Showcase” on Friday evening, May 23, followed by an all-day seminar on Saturday entitled “Christian Music Industry Inside-Out”. Both events are being held at Centre Street Church in Calgary.

Voting for the Vibe Awards began over the Internet at their website and through the Blessings Christian Marketplace bookstore chain on April 4. Gospel music fans throughout Canada are each able to cast a single ballot. The winners will be announced during ceremonies at Calgary’s Telus Convention Centre on Saturday, evening, May 24 in a show featuring 25 of the country’s top gospel performers.

In all, 46 Canadian gospel artists and songwriters are vying for the 14 Vibe Awards to be given out in 2003. Last fall, 419 gospel music fans applied on the Vibe Awards website for the opportunity to become nominations judges. From this list, a panel of 56 judges was randomly drawn, with the prerequisite that there was equitable representation from every region in the country. The judges, ranging in age from 16 to 58, are comprised of 35 women and 21 men.

—news release from Ministry Networks

2003 Vibe Awards Nominees

• Artist of the Year
  Carolyn Arends (British Columbia)
  Steve Bell (Manitoba)
  Brian Doerksen (British Columbia)
  Jake (Alberta)
  Starfield (Manitoba)
• Male Vocalist of the Year
  Riley Armstrong (British Columbia)
  Steve Bell (Manitoba)
  Matt Brouwer (Nova Scotia)
  Brian Doerksen (British Columbia)
  Mark Mallett (Alberta)
• Female Vocalist of the Year
  Carolyn Arends (British Columbia)
  Cheryl Dunn (Ontario)
  Lianna Klassen (Alberta)
  Martine (New Brunswick)
  Anita Paul (Ontario)
• Group of the Year
  downhere (Saskatchewan)
  Four For The Lord (Nova Scotia)
  Jake (Alberta)
  Russ Rosen Band (British Columbia)
  Starfield (Manitoba)
• New Artist of the Year
  Cheryl Dunn (Ontario)
  Four For The Lord (Nova Scotia)
  Janelle (Alberta)
  Martine (New Brunswick)
  Saj (Ontario)
• Song of the Year
  Alive In This Moment/Tim Neufeld & Jon Neufeld of Starfield (Manitoba)
  Anybody Else/Carmon Barry for Cheryl Dunn (Ontario)
  Army Of Love/Toby Penner & Josh Penner of Jake (Alberta)
  Change The World/Debbie Zepick (Alberta)
  In The Cross/Richard Ash for The Master’s Four (Ontario)
  Let Your Love Rain/Karen Anderson (Alberta)
  Soar Like An Eagle/Jackie Cherian for the Toronto Mass Choir (Ontario)
  Stand/Robert Wilson & Kevin Manness of Resurrection & Life (Manitoba)
  Threw It Away/Michael Cavallo of One Cross (Ontario)
  You Shine/Brian Doerksen (British Columbia)
• Rock/Alternative Album of the Year
  Only Eye Watching/Esoteric (Ontario)
  Close Like A Brother/Fridays Cry (British Columbia)
  Shake This Place/Mark Lewis Band (British Columbia)
  Human/Lost Coin (Ontario)
  Tumbling After/Starfield (Manitoba)
• Contemporary/Pop Album of the Year
  And Your Praise Goes On, Volume 3/Jon Buller (Manitoba)
  You Shine/Brian Doerksen (British Columbia)
  Army Of Love/Jake (Alberta)
  New Day/Janelle (Alberta)
  One Step/Jackie Ungar (Ontario)
• Inspirational Album of the Year
  Journey Songs/Karen Anderson (Alberta)
  We’ve Been Waiting For You/Carolyn Arends (British Columbia)
  Because Of Love/Kelita (Ontario)
  Once Upon A Time Forever After/Lianna Klassen (Alberta)
  Everything Beautiful/Crystal Wheaton (Nova Scotia)
• Country/Bluegrass Album of the Year
  Stand Your Ground/Canada’s Double Portion (Saskatchewan)
  There Is Life/Dry River Boys (Manitoba)
  Anybody Else/Cheryl Dunn (Ontario)
  Reflect/High Valley (Alberta)
  Love Holds On/Mark Mallett (Alberta)
• Southern Gospel/Traditional Album of the Year
  Making Waves/Four For The Lord (Nova Scotia)
  I Need You/Andrew Martin (Ontario)
  Tell Me The Story Again/The Master’s Four (Ontario)
  Saved!/NorthernBlues Gospel Allstars (Ontario)
  Odyssey/Torchmen Quartet (Ontario)
• Urban/Soul Album of the Year
  Lift Your Hands In The Sanctuary/Heart To Heart Outreach (Ontario)
  So Good/Jireh Gospel Choir (Quebec)
  Goin’ Up Yonder/Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir (Quebec)
  Life/Saj (Ontario)
  Instrument Of Praise/Toronto Mass Choir (Ontario)
• Rap/Hip-Hop/Dance Album of the Year
  The Promise That Heaven Kept/Promise d’Apostle (Ontario)
  Tha Wordship & Tha Praise; Tha Blacksmith & The Blade/Resurrection & Life (Manitoba)
  Higher Heights/Testament (Ontario)
• Worship Album of the Year
  You Shine/Brian Doerksen (British Columbia)
  Goin’ Up Yonder/Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir (Quebec)
  Tumbling After/Starfield (Manitoba)
  Instrument Of Praise/Toronto Mass Choir (Ontario)
  Here I Am/Westhills Worship Warriors (Alberta)