The Gospel Music Association (GMA) has pulled Shawn McDonald's nomination for the 2006 GMA Music Awards, also known as the Dove Awards, because of an administrative error.

Though nominated for best New Artist of the Year, a category voted on by the professional membership, McDonald has released two recordings on Sparrow Records-Simply Nothing in August 2004 and Live in Seattle in April 2005. The official criteria for the category is: “A new artist is a soloist or group whose … first and only album in this configuration was released for general distribution within the last two GMA Music Awards eligibility periods, and who has not previously been a finalist as a musical artist for a Dove Award.”

Inpop Records' Mat Kearney will replace McDonald to join Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Krystal Meyers, Stellar Kart and The Afters as a nominee for New Artist of the Year.

The GMA said it “regrets this error” and has amended the official online ballot. Final voting begins February 17 and ends March 10. The 37th GMA Music Awards will be presented on Wednesday, April 5, at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.

View a complete and corrected nominations list online at www.gmamusicawards.com .

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