2010
SGMA INDUCTION CEREMONY/SINGING NEWS FAN AWARDS MERGE AT DOLLYWOOD
The Southern Gospel Music industry's premier awards show, the
Singing News Fan Awards, is moving to a new home beginning in
2010.
"Dollywood,
the home of the Southern Gospel Music Association's Hall of Fame and
Museum, has opened its doors to the 2010 edition of the Fan Awards,"
says Singing News Editor Danny Jones.
"Additionally, the SGMA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be
incorporated into the Singing News Fan Awards presentation to
present a new program that will not only honor the artists that
Singing News subscribers have chosen as their favorites, but to
acknowledge the contributions of Southern Gospel Music pioneers and
those who have greatly influenced our industry."
The first Fan Awards were presented in 1970 at the "International
Gospel Song Festival," an event promoted by Singing News
founding publisher, the late J.G. Whitfield. "When Mr. Whitfield
acquired the National Quartet Convention a few years later,"
Singing News Editor-In-Chief Jerry Kirksey recalls, "the Fan
Awards moved to the NQC stage and remained there through 2009."
"The National
Quartet Convention has been gracious in sharing their time and
facilities with us for four decades," says Jones. “We will continue
to support that grand tradition of Southern Gospel music even as we
look forward to our move. We will continue to have one of the
largest booths at NQC as well as expanded editorial coverage, pre
and post convention.”
The 2010 Singing News Fan Awards and the 2010 SGMA Hall of
Fame Induction Ceremony will be held Wednesday, September 29, 2010,
in DP's Celebrity Theatre at Dollywood.
The new
program will be the opening feature each year for Dollywood's
National Gospel & Harvest Celebration with the
premiere presentation followed by an entire month of Southern Gospel
artists performing throughout Dollywood. The music presented is
quite special to someone who is very familiar with Dollywood.
"Southern
Gospel music has been a part of my life for as long as I can
remember,” Dolly Parton says. “I am proud Singing News chose
Dollywood as the home of their Fan Awards in conjunction with the
SGMA's Induction Ceremony. The park is a unique place where we not
only focus the whole month of October on Southern Gospel music but
our guests can also enjoy Southern Gospel singing almost every day
throughout the year."
SGMA Executive
Director Charlie Waller, who was instrumental in bringing this new
event to life, says, "The SGMA Executive Board unanimously voted in
favor of the merger of the Fan Awards and Induction Ceremony, and I
look forward to working with everyone involved to produce a first
class event centrally located in the heartland of Southern Gospel
music fans.
"On behalf of
the SGMA, I would like to thank Barbara Joines, Dollywood's Vice
President and General Manager, as well as the entire Dollywood
staff, for their commitment to this event and for housing the
Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Museum."
Tickets for
the event will go on sale March 1, 2010. Additional information will
be announced soon.
Charlie Waller
Executive Director
- The Southern Gospel Music
Association is a non-profit organization that maintains the Southern
Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame, the only facility honoring this
genre of music, for the historic preservation of the accomplishments
of the music and its people. Museum hours match those of Dollywood.
Donations are tax-deductible.
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