Nominations in 23 of 43 categories of the awards were announced today in Nashville. The winners will be announced Wednesday, April 21 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville and taped live for broadcast Sunday, April 25 on the Gospel Music Channel.

Jars of Clay, Skillet and Jason Crabb are Artist of the Year nominees along with Casting Crowns, Francesca Battistelli, Mary Mary and TobyMac--the only previous winner in the category nominated.

Casting Crowns, a five-time winner of Group of the Year, again leads that field along with Jars of Clay, Skillet, Gaither Vocal Band, Hezekiah Walker & The Love Fellowship Crusade Choir, Needtobreathe and Tenth Avenue North--last year's New Artist of the Year winner.

The reigning four-time Female Vocalist of the Year, Natalie Grant--who will co-host the Dove Awards with MercyMe's Bart Millard--again received a nod in that category. Brandon Heath, the 2009 Male Vocalist of the Year winner, was again nominated for that award.

Jars of Clay has won 13 Dove Awards previously, but none since 2007. Crabb, a previous winner as part of The Crabb Family, garnered several nominations, including Male Vocalist of the Year, Artist of the Year, Country Album of the Year for Jason Crabb (Spring Hill Music Group/EMI CMG Distribution), Country Recorded Song of the Year for "Through the Fire" and Song of the Year for "Somebody Like Me."

Maher was nominated in the Praise & Worship Album of the Year category for his second album, Alive Again (Essential Records/Provident-Integrity Distribution).

Haun, an 11-time Dove winner, is up for Producer of the Year, Song of the Year, Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year, Bluegrass Recorded Song of the Year, Christmas Album of the Year for Every Light That Shines at Christmas by Ernie Haase & Signature Sound (Gaither Music Group/EMI CMG), and has two nominations in the Southern Gospel Album of the Year category for his work with The Perrys and Janet Paschal.

Click here for a full list of Dove Award nominees.

• Prev
• Next