Matthew West Leads ASCAP Christian Music Awards Winners

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ASCAP will honor the most-performed Christian music from the past year with a two-day virtual event which launches today (Oct. 7) on ASCAP’s social media platforms, including photos, videos, acceptance speeches and more from some of ASCAP’s top songwriters and artists.

Five-time Grammy nominee Matthew West is being honored as ASCAP’s Christian Songwriter of the year for a third time, for penning songs including “Nobody” (recorded by Casting Crowns) and “The God Who Stays.” West previously took home the Christian Songwriter of the Year honor in 2014 and 2017 and was named Christian Songwriter-Artist of the Year in 2013 and 2015-2016.

“It’s such a tremendous honor and it means a lot to me,” West said.

West also earned this year’s ASCAP Christian Song of the Year for “Nobody,” marking the fifth time he has won the honor. “Nobody” was published by Combustion Music, House of Story Music Publishing, Kobalt Songs Music Publishing, and One 77 Songs.

“[Casting Crowns lead singer/songwriter] Mark [Hall] and I were writing at a cabin in Leiper’s Fork and he comes in from Atlanta, Georgia,” West tells MusicRow. “He’s a busy man because he’s full-time at a church in Georgia. He’s a remarkable guy in that way so when he comes to town, it’s go time on writing. This song came out of the experience of us both talking about how we each in our own way have known what it’s like to be last one picked for the kickball team. He talks about some major hurdles in his life and I was talking about getting bullied in school as a kid. We started talking about that and how the world just seems to go out of its way to point out how people aren’t perfect. Life feels a lot about measuring up. The world does a good job of making people feel like they are not enough. We dove into that and it’s just a reminder that God uses people who are often overlooked to do amazing things.”

This year’s ASCAP Christian Music Publisher of the Year honor goes to Capitol CMG for the 19th straight year, for publishing hits including Unspoken’s “Reason,” We The Kingdom’s “Holy Water,” MercyMe’s “Almost Home,” and more. Capitol CMG co-President Brad O’Donnell and his team will accept this year’s award.

Along with acceptance speeches from awards winners, this year’s virtual ASCAP Christian Music Awards will include performances from two additional most-performed hits from the past year. Unspoken’s Chad Mattson and Jonathan Lowry will perform “Reason,” while Luke and Joel Smallbone from duo for King & Country will perform “God Only Knows.”

“No matter how many you are fortunate enough to win, they never get old. We all write so many songs and work so many projects, it’s a real blessing to see how much of an impact these songs have had and to be celebrated for something you have written,” said producer and songwriter David Garcia, who is being honored for co-writing MercyMe’s hit “Best News Ever.”

For a full list of this year’s winners, visit ascap.com.

Jessica Nicholson
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