The GMA Canada Lifetime Achievement Award is handed out annually by GMA Canada (the Gospel Music Association of Canada). This annual award recognizes the achievements of artists and industry experts who have made the greatest contribution to further the Canadian Christian music scene. It is presented during GMA Canada Week, during which the annual Covenant Awards are handed out. Past winners have included Connie Scott (2006), Tommy Hunter (2005) and George Beverly Shea (2004).
The Lifetime Achievement Award has been given to both artists and industry leaders (Gerry Scott/Arlen Salte). In 2011 GMA Canada honored hard rock trail blazers Daniel Band.
GMA Canada is a not for profit organization whose mission is to promote the growth and ministry of Christian music arts in Canada. GMA Canada works to raise the profile and interaction of Christian artists, songwriters, producers, promoters and others working in Christian music with media, retailers, distributors and church leadership. GMA Canada is committed to nurturing and developing its members through educational programs as well as celebrating outstanding achievements and standards of excellence in all areas and genres of Canadian Gospel music.
2004 - George Beverly Shea. GMA Canada recognized the efforts of George Beverly Shea who was born in Winchester, Ontario February 1, 1909. His long association with the Billy Graham Crusades and his more than 70 albums led to his being referred to as "America's Beloved Gospel Singer". According to the Guinness Book of Records Shea holds the world record for singing in person to the most people ever, with an estimated cumulative live audience of 220 million people. In 1932 Shea composed the tune to "I'd Rather Have Jesus," with words written by Rhea F. Miller (1894–1966). Shea was unable to attend the GMA Canada Covenant Awards ceremony in person, but sent his thanks via video link.
2005 - Tommy Hunter was recognized by GMA Canada in 2005. Hunter was born in London, Ontario, March 20, 1937. "The Tommy Hunter Show" began as a CBC radio program in 1960 and went on to replace Country Hoedown on CBC television in 1965; Hunter's show was picked up by TNN in 1983 and ran on CBC Television until 1992. One of the regular features of the program included Hunter's inspirational and Gospel songs at the close of each show. He also released two Gospel albums "Songs Of Inspiration" and "Readings" which featured the fan favourites "Touch Of The Master's Hand" and "No Charge". Tommy Hunter was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1984. In 1986, Hunter was made a Member of the Order of Canada. He has received three Canadian Juno Awards and one Gemini Award. In 1990, he was given a place in the Country Music Hall of Fame's "Walkway of Stars". A street ("Tommy Hunter Way") was also renamed in his honour in his hometown of London, Ontario, in the late 1990s. He became a member of the Order of Ontario in 1996
2006 - Connie Scott was recognized by GMA Canada in 2006. Scott grew up around Gospel Music. Her father, Gerry Scott was both an early radio show host playing Gospel Music and the owner of Canada's largest distributor of Christian Music at the time, Word Records Canada. Connie Scott first recorded with her sister but was later signed to Sparrow Records, where she released her debut album "Heartbeat" in 1983. She followed her initial success with a string of albums through the 1980s and into the 1990s including "Spirit Mover", "Hold On" and "Forever Young". She was one of the first Contemporary Christian artists of the era to record a concept music video and toured with many of the successful artists of the era including Steve Camp, David Meece and Roby Duke.
A Dove Award is an accolade by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the Christian music industry. The awards are presented annually. Formerly held in Nashville, Tennessee, the Dove Awards took place in Atlanta, Georgia during 2011 and 2012, but has since moved back to Nashville. The ceremonies feature live musical performances and are broadcast on TBN.
Thomas James "Tommy" Hunter, CM, O.Ont is a Canadian country music performer, known as "Canada's Country Gentleman".
Arthur Smith was an American musician, songwriter, and producer of records, as well as a radio and TV host. Smith produced radio and TV shows; The Arthur Smith Show was the first nationally syndicated country music show on television. After moving to Charlotte, North Carolina, Smith developed and ran the first commercial recording studio in the Southeast.
George Beverly Shea was a Canadian-born American gospel singer and hymn composer. Shea was often described as "America's beloved gospel singer" and was considered "the first international singing 'star' of the gospel world," as a consequence of his solos at Billy Graham Crusades and his exposure on radio, records and television. Because of the large attendance at Graham's Crusades, it is estimated that Shea sang live before more people than anyone else in history.
Carolyn Arends is a Canadian contemporary Christian musician, songwriter, and author. She is based in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.
Rob Wilson better known by his stage name Fresh I.E. is a Christian rap artist from Winnipeg, Manitoba. His albums Red Letterz and Truth is Fallin' in tha Streetz were both nominated for Grammy Awards. Wilson is the first Canadian Christian artist to have been nominated for a Grammy Award. He has won several GMA Canada Covenant Awards including Rap/Hip Hop Song of the Year for World Vision (2006). Wilson founded the recording label Kingdom Music Inc. in 2006.
Amanda Lindsey Cook is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and contemporary Christian music recording artist from Niverville, Manitoba. She received a Juno Award at the 2006 awards ceremony for her eponymous debut album. Cook has released three albums under her maiden name – Amanda Falk, Beautiful, and In Between the Now & Then.
Christopher Scott Greenwood, known by his stage name Manafest, is a Canadian Christian rapper and rock artist from Pickering, Ontario, Canada. He has won multiple awards for the GMA Canada Covenant Awards, GMA Dove Awards, and has been nominated for multiple Juno Awards. Signed for a decade with BEC Recordings, Manafest became independent in 2015.
The Gospel Music Association of Canada or GMA Canada is a not for profit association, founded in 1974, whose purpose is to promote Christian music in Canada.
Lamon Records is an indie record label that was established in North Carolina before moving to Nashville, Tennessee. Lamon Records concentrates its efforts in country, bluegrass, alternative and Americana music, as well as all forms of Christian music.
GMA Canada presents 30th Anniversary Collection is a three-CD collection commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Gospel Music Association of Canada. It showcases the history of Christian music in Canada. The album won the GMA Canada Covenant Award for Special Events/Compilation Album Of The Year in 2008.
Dan Macaulay is a Contemporary Christian music recording artist and contemporary worship leader from Brantford, Ontario, Canada. He now resides in Williamsville, New York. Some of his most well-known songs are: "Amazing", "Hope Is Here ", "From You For You", "Win With Love", "Live Like You're Free", "Listening (Light Of The World", and "Permanent".
The City Harmonic is a Canadian Christian rock band based in Hamilton, Ontario. Elias Dummer, Eric Fusilier (bass), Aaron Powell (guitar), and Josh Vanderlaan (drums) collectively make up The City Harmonic. Their music has been described as "nostalgic Brit-pop meets campfire sing-along mix that features raucous gang vocals along with agile, soaring anthems crafted to include the listener". Musically, their sound is often compared to artists like Coldplay, Keane, Aqualung, the Fray, or Arcade Fire. In 2011 they won three Covenant Awards from GMA Canada for New Artist of the Year, Recorded Song of the Year and Modern Worship Song of the Year. In 2013 they won Covenant Awards for Group of the Year and Praise and Worship Song of the Year. They also won a Juno Award for the 2013 Christian/Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year. After announcing that they would retire, the band recorded their final show, which was released as a live album, Benediction (Live), on June 23, 2017.
Mark Masri is a Canadian singer, songwriter and producer. He is signed to EMI record label and has released five albums: Mark Masri, La Voce, Christmas Is..., A Christmas Time with You, and Intimo, as well as a special US release: See My Face US. He sings in English and also has a multilingual repertoire of interpretations. On his album La Voce he sings a collection of classic songs in six languages.
DFS Records is a record label founded in 2003 by record producer Dan "DFS" Johnson. The independent label was the former home to award-winning Canadian recording artist Promise. In 2003 the label released its first single "Tonite" featuring Aion Clarke from Promise's debut album The Promise That Heaven Kept, it went on to reach #4 on the Rhythmic Top 10 - Canadian Christian Radio Chart.
Rhythm & News was a Christian a cappella vocal group formed in the late 1980s in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. During the 1990s, the group gained success in Canada and parts of the United States in the gospel music industry. Their a cappella style with beatbox beats, hip hop and rap became known as "funkappella" throughout their fan base.
Tim Neufeld is a Canadian singer, songwriter and recording artist from Winnipeg, Manitoba and now based in Abbotsford, British Columbia, best known as the co-founder and lead singer of Starfield who are four-time Juno Award nominees, Western Canada Music award recipients, winners of 10 GMA Canada Covenant Awards (CGMA) and two Dove Awards. Neufeld's first solo album, Trees, won the 2014 Juno Award for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year as well as the award for the 2013 CGMA Modern Worship Album of the Year. Neufeld and the Canadian bluegrass trio, The Glory Boys, embarked on the Trees Tour in which the band performed in 60+ Canadian cities. Neufeld's second album, The Joy, was released in September 2014 and earned him a 2015 Juno nomination.
Bernhard "Bernie" Herms is a Canadian composer, songwriter, and music producer in Nashville, Tennessee. He has received and been nominated for Grammy Awards, GMA Dove Awards, and GMA Canada Covenant Awards, due to his songwriting and music production work.
Londa Erica Larmond is a Canadian gospel musician and worship leader, who is an urban contemporary gospel and Christian R&B recording artist, under the Christian pop umbrella. She started her music career, in 1999, with her first studio album, Love Letters, releasing in 2001. She is a GMA Award and a June Award nominee, and a Covenant Award winner.
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