The First Dove Award Winners
Bill Gaither, who has gone on to become one of the most respected men in the industry, was the very first Songwriter of the Year. James Blackwood, who passed away in 2002, was the first Male Vocalist of the Year. Vestal Goodman, another legend who joined her Heavenly household in 2003, was the first Female Vocalist of the Year. The Imperials and the Speer Family were the first groups of the year, with the Imperials taking home the Male Group award and the Speer Family being our first Mixed Group. The Oak Ridge Boys were the first winners of the Album of the Year and the Album Jacket of the Year awards. The best Instrumentalist was Dwayne Friend and the favorite D.J. was J. G. Whitfield. The Florida Boys were the first gospel group to have a nationally syndicated television program. It was called The Gospel Singing Jubilee and the 1969 win was the first of seven during the category's 11 year run. Finally, the very first Song of the Year was "Jesus is Coming Soon" by R. E. Winsett.
Retired Dove Award Categories
Those gone but not forgotten...The 2008 Dove Awards will see winners in 42 categories; a big step up from the original 11. In the time from 1969, 19 categories have come and gone. Those categories that are no longer awarded are:
- Male Group of the Year (1969 - 1980) - The Imperials won this award more than any other group with 5 wins.
- Mixed Group of the Year (1969 - 1980) - The Speer Family won this award more than any other group with wins.
- Associate Membership Award (1974 - 1978) - The Blackwood Brothers won this category 3 times out of the 5 years it was honored.
- Most Promising New Gospel Talent (1970 - 1973)
- Album of the Year (1969 - 1975)
- Soul/Black Gospel Album (1977 - 1980)
- Inspirational Black Gospel Album (1981 - 1983)
- Hard Music Album and Recorded Song of the Year (1989 - 2003)
- Modern Rock Album and Recorded Song of the Year (1996 - 2005)
- Instrumentalist (1969 - 1986) Dino Kartsonakis won this award more than any other artist with 6 wins.
- Musical Album (1981 - 1995)
- Album Jacket was honored only one time, in 1969, for It's Happening by the Oak Ridge Boys.
- Backliner Notes, Cover Photo or Cover Art and Graphic Layout and Design (1970 - 1980)
- Album by a Secular Artist (1975 - 1986)
- D.J. Of the Year (1969 - 1978) Sid Hughes won this award more than any other D.J. with 4 wins.
- Enhanced CD of the Year (1998 - 2002) There were no winners in 2001 & 2002 due to an insufficient amount of entries.
Dove History
The Music of the Doves
For a few years, compilation CDs were released after each awards ceremony, highlighting the "Best of the Doves," but the labels discontinued the practice after 2004.
