Lauren Daigle performs at the 46th Annual Dove Awards. Photo: Getty Images

Rapper Lecrae made history last night (Oct. 13) at the 46th annual Dove Awards, held at the campus of Nashville’s Lipscomb University. Lecrae became the first hip-hop artist to earn the Gospel Music Association’s top honor, a Dove award for Artist of the Year. Lecrae also took home Rap/Hip-Hop Album of the Year for Anomaly, as well as Rap/Hip-Hop Song of the Year for  “All I Need Is You.”

Lauren Daigle was named New Artist of the Year, and earned “Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year” and “Song of the Year” honors, both for “How Can It Be.”

Producer/songwriter Seth Mosley also led the winners at this year’s Dove Awards, picking up honors for Songwriter of the Year (non-artist), Producer of the Year, and Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year (as a co-producer on for King & Country‘s Run Wild Live Free Love Strong).

Songwriter Tom Douglas, well-known for hits including “The House That Built Me” and “Meanwhile, Back at Mama’s,” earned a Dove Award as a co-writer on Skillet’s “Good to be Alive,” which earned the Rock Song of the Year honor.

The Oak Ridge Boys picked up a Dove honor for Country Song of the Year for “Sweet Jesus” (ft. Merle Haggard). Alabama took home Bluegrass/Country Album of the Year for Angels Among Us. Robert Deaton, a well-known awards show and video producer, won a Dove Award for Best Christmas Album, for his production role on Michael W. Smith‘s The Spirit of Christmas.

The show will air on Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) on Sunday, Oct. 18 at 9 p.m. CT.

KB performs at the 46th Annual Dove Awards. Photo: Getty Images.

List of televised award winners:

Song of the Year: “How Can It Be,” – Lauren Daigle (writers) Jason Ingram, Jeff Johnson, Paul Mabury
Artist of the Year: Lecrae
New Artist of the Year: Lauren Daigle
Southern Gospel Album of Year: Pray Now – Karen Peck & New River (producer) Wayne Haun
Contemporary Gospel/Urban Recorded Song of the Year: “I Luh God (ft. Big Shizz)” – Erica Campbell (writers) Warren Campbell, Erica Campbell, Lashawn Daniels
Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year: Anomaly – Lecrae (producers) Dirty Rice, Joseph Prielozny, Street Symphony, S1, J. Rhodes, 808XEIite, GAWVI, Nate Robinson, Mashell, Derke Minor, Vohnbeatz, Lasanna, “Ace” Harris, Alex Medina, Jaquebeatz
Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year: RUN WILD, LIVE FREE, LOVE STRONG – for King & Country (producers) Seth Mosley, Tedd T. Matte Hales, Ben Glover
Gospel Artist of the Year: Tasha Cobbs
Praise and Worship Song of the Year: “Because He Lives (Amen)” – Matt Maher (writers) Chris Tomlin, Daniel Carson, Ed Cash, Gloria Gaither, Jason Ingram, Matt Maher, Bill Gaither
Inspirational Film: Mom’s Night Out (directors) The Erwin Brothers (producers) Affirm Films, FourBoys Ent. Provident Films, Pure Flix Ent. And TriStar Pictures

Special recognition honors also presented include:
Lifetime Achievement Award – Bobby Jones Gospel and John Rivers 20 The Countdown Magazine
GMA IMPACT AWARD – YouTube
The Outstanding Mainstream Contribution to Gospel Music Award – Mark Burnett and Roma Downey
Radio Impact Award – CCM – The Joy FM, Southern Gospel – enlighten, Gospel – WPRS – FM 104.1

Faith Hill

Faith Hill is set to take on the role of executive producer for a new, as-of-yet unnamed daytime talk show, MusicRow has confirmed. Hill will co-executive produce the show with manager Jason Owen (Sandbox Entertainment), and Lisa Erspamer, whose career includes time as Chief Executive Officer and Exec. VP of Programming/Development for OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.

The show’s first announced co-host is fellow country artist Kellie Pickler, with additional co-hosts to be announced soon. The production’s topics will center on lifestyle topics including gardening, interior decorating, cooking, and more, and will feature experts in various fields.

The program is aimed to premiere in Fall 2016 or 2017. It is being produced by Legendary Television, a division of Legendary Pictures, the company behind Jurassic World, Blackhat, Straight Outta Compton, Steve Jobs, and more.

The show is set to be filmed in Nashville.

Pickler is no stranger to television, from her Top 10 inclusion on American Idol in 2006, to her win on Dancing With the Stars in 2013, to her upcoming CMT reality series, I Love Kellie Pickler, set to premiere on Nov. 5.

Kellie Pickler

Pictured (L-R): John Huie, Fletcher Foster, Kelsea Ballerini, Ray Waddell.

On the final day of the 45th Annual International Entertainment Buyers Association’s (IEBA) three-day conference at Nashville’s Omni Hotel, Black River artist Kelsea Ballerini was joined by her manager Fletcher Foster (Iconic Entertainment) and agent John Huie (CAA). The three were led by Billboard‘s Ray Waddell on the stage of the CMA Theater today, Oct. 13 to give a sneak peek into breaking a new artist in today’s market.

“Kelsea was signed as a writer before she had an artist deal,” noted Huie of the importance of a song. “That’s where Nashville is going, even for someone who has the entire package. For years, this town was about finding people who had the package and then for songs. Kelsea had over 100 songs in her catalog before she ever got a record deal.”

“I feel like being naive has been my biggest asset so far because I don’t know what I’m not supposed to do,” confessed Ballerini who was introduced to Nashville by a producer her mother hired in Knoxville, Tenn., to commemorate the songwriting her 14-year-old daughter had achieved. That producer introduced the now 22-year-old star to Nashville during future visits to Music City.

Huie and Foster met Ballerini because of this songwriting–Huie at an ASCAP writer showcase when the singer was 15 and Foster through Black River Publishing’s Celia Froehlig.

“There’s this illusion that women can’t sell tickets,” said Huie of a misperception he has challenged with Ballerini. “Some people think you have to have hits before you go work because you’re not suppose to put women in clubs.

“Kelsea said she was going to be a touring act and wanted to work, so we grabbed everything. Now that she has a hit, we can direct the boat a little better but her dedication and attitude is what makes her additionally special and makes you want to fight even harder for.”

“I counted almost 190 dates on the calendar last year for Kelsea,” emphasized Foster of Ballerini’s busy year. “That doesn’t include press, rehearsal, or travel. I’m talking about a performance on each of those dates for radio, paid, or free dates.”

“One of the biggest blessings I’ve had in my life is being a hardcore country music fan,” explained Ballerini of her drive. “I remember coming to CMA Fest standing in line for hours to meet Taylor Swift, Lady Antebellum, and Justin Moore. Being on this side of it now, I know how to make the 45 seconds you get with someone count. I would save my money to get nosebleed seats at arenas to see my favorite artist. Being in the back row taught me how to make people in the very back feel like you see them. Being a fan really taught me how to be an artist.”

RaeLynn Engaged To Longtime Boyfriend

Photo: RaeLynn/Twitter.

Singer-songwriter RaeLynn accepted a proposal from longtime boyfriend Josh Davis on Monday (Oct. 12) at Nashville’s Belmont University campus.

“OMG I’m getting married!” RaeLynn told Us Magazine. “My life has been so crazy with my singing career and traveling and being 21, but you can’t plan when you’re gonna meet ‘the one.’ When it’s right, you just have to go with it.”

Sarah Buxton, Tom Bukovac Expecting Second Child

Sarah Buxton

Singer-songwriter Sarah Buxton and her husband, musician Tom Bukovac, are expecting their second child. The couple welcomed their first child, son Marshall, in 2012.