PHOTOS: 57th Annual Dove Awards celebrate Gospel music’s biggest stars in Nashville

Some of the biggest names in Christian and Gospel music came together in Music City for a celebration of faith, music and the artists shaping the industry. The 57th Annual GMA Dove Awards brought powerful performances, emotional tributes and major wins to Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, recognizing established stars and rising voices across Christian and Gospel music. Hosted by Tauren Wells, the ceremony featured artists including Brandon Lake, Lainey Wilson, CeCe Winans, Tasha Cobbs Leonard and Phil Wickham.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS | Ella Langley, Miranda Lambert lead CMA Awards nominations Wickham earned one of the night’s highest honors, taking home Artist of the Year. Jamie MacDonald was named New Artist of the Year. Wickham, Lake and Josiah Queen each earned three Dove Awards, tying for the most wins of the evening. Queen’s hit “Dusty Bibles” was named Song of the Year, while Lake received Songwriter of the Year honors.

Gospel music takes center stage Gospel music was a major part of the celebration, with several artists receiving recognition for their contributions to the genre. Tasha Cobbs Leonard earned two awards, including Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year for “Church,” her collaboration with John Legend. She also won Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year for her project TASHA.

During her acceptance speech, Cobbs Leonard reflected

During her acceptance speech, Cobbs Leonard reflected on her personal faith journey. “The goodness of God and who He is is just absolutely amazing,” she said. CeCe Winans continued her award-winning run, earning Gospel Worship Recorded Song of the Year for “More Than This,” featuring Todd Dulaney. It marked her second consecutive win in the category. Southern Gospel veteran Karen Peck also celebrated a career milestone, earning her ninth Dove Award.

Lainey Wilson and Brandon Lake bring country and Gospel together One of the evening’s standout moments featured country star Lainey Wilson joining Brandon Lake for their collaboration, “The Jesus I Know Now.” The song earned Country/Roots Recorded Song of the Year, highlighting the growing crossover between country and Christian music. Wilson used the moment to reflect on how her understanding of faith has evolved.

“We’re not just singers, we’re not just songwriters; we are connectors,” Wilson told the audience. She also referenced Dolly Parton’s legacy of encouraging and uplifting others. Lake spoke about the song’s message of grace and its connection with listeners who may have experienced hurt or disappointment within the church. Emotional tributes honor music legends The ceremony also featured tributes celebrating the influence of two music icons.

Amy Grant and Natalie Grant joined together

Amy Grant and Natalie Grant joined together for a tribute honoring Dolly Parton, while Gospel artists Jonathan McReynolds, Kierra Sheard, Donald Lawrence, Maurette Brown Clark and Ted Winn celebrated the musical legacy of Richard Smallwood. The performances highlighted the lasting influence of artists whose music has reached audiences across generations. Christian entertainment earns recognition beyond music The Dove Awards also recognized achievements in faith-based film and television.

The animated film DAVID earned Feature Film of the Year, while its soundtrack also received an award. MORE | Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum hosts medallion ceremony for new inductees The popular series The Chosen won Television Series of the Year for its fifth season. International artists also received recognition, including Andrea Bocelli, Daddy Yankee and Sarai Rivera, reflecting the global reach of Christian music.

A celebration of faith in Music City The annual awards ceremony is presented by the Gospel Music Association, an organization that has supported and celebrated Gospel music since 1964. Now in its 57th year, the Dove Awards continue to recognize artists, songwriters and producers whose work spans contemporary Christian, Gospel, worship, Southern Gospel, country, hip-hop and international music.

The ceremony was held Oct. 6 at Bridgestone Arena. To see photos throughout the night, see the gallery attached to this story.