Third Day garners three GRAMMY nods

Written by Eric Tiansay

Thursday, 03 December 2009 03:40 PM America/New_York

Third Day received three GRAMMY Award nominations last night during a televised show from Los Angeles.

The Atlanta-based rock band was nominated in the Best Gospel Performance and Best Gospel Song categories for "Born Again" as well as for Live Revelations: On Stage, Off Stage, Backstage (Essential Records/Provident-Integrity Distribution) in the Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album category.

Matthew West, Jeremy Camp and Francesca Battistelli received first-time nods during the broadcast, which included performances from Black Eyed Peas, Nick Jonas and The Administration, Sugarland and host LL Cool J.

Other Best Gospel Performance nominees were "Free to Be Me" by Francesca Battistelli; "Jesus is Love" by Heather Headley and Smokie Norful; "I Believe" by Jonny Lang with the Fisk Jubilee Singers; and "Wait on the Lord" by Donnie McClurkin and Karen Clark Sheard.

Other Best Gospel Song nominees were "City on Our Knees" by TobyMac; "Every Prayer" by Israel Houghton and Mary Mary; "God in Me" by Mary Mary and Kierra "KiKi" Sheard; and "The Motions" by Matthew West.

In the Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album category, the rest of the nominees were The Big Picture by Da T.R.U.T.H. (Cross Movement Records/Central South Distribution); Crash by Decyfer Down (INO Records/Provident-Integrity); Innocence & Instinct by Red (Essential Records/Provident-Integrity); and The Dash by John Wells, also known as The Tonic (Cross Movement Records/Central South).

The Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album nominees were Speaking Louder Than Before by Jeremy Camp (BEC Recordings/EMI CMG Distribution); The Power of One by Israel Houghton (Integrity Music/Columbia Records/Provident-Integrity); The Long Fall Back to Earth by Jars of Clay (Gray Matters/Essential Records/Provident-Integrity); Love Is On the Move by Leeland (Essential Records/Provident-Integrity); and Freedom by Mandisa (Sparrow Records/EMI CMG).

Along with Robert Randolph, The Clark Sisters--who won three GRAMMYs in 2008--were nominated in the Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals category for "Higher Ground."

The 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards are scheduled for live broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. EST, Sunday, Jan. 31. Click here for a complete list of GRAMMY Award nominees.