Touched by a Dove

Barely a day after celebrating the re-opening of the Billy Graham Library, Franklin Graham was off to Nashville, to participate in the 41st annual GMA Dove Awards at the Grand Ole Opy House, April 21. He made the trip to introduce a special performance of “Come Together Now," which closed Wednesday's awards show.

Nearly 30 artists united on stage for the poignant finale to illustrate Nashville’s distinct and authentic community of musicianship, and most of all to help remind people of the need to help those in Haiti.

Written by Michael W. Smith, David Mullen and Cindy Morgan, "Come Together Now" is the lead single on Healing 4 Haiti, the compilation album put together to benefit Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Haiti earthquake relief projects.



Healing 4 Haiti is available for download from iTunes or the Billy Graham online store. Get more information here.

Another BGEA-Dove connection—Tenth Avenue North’s “By Your Side” was awarded Song of the Year. Written by Tenth Avenue North’s Mike Donehey, along with Phillip LaRue and Jason Ingram, the hit single ranked an impressive No. 3 on Billboard’s overall decade ranking of Christian songs.

The BGEA video team produced a special version of the song to raise awareness of the Rapid Response Team's work:




Read our interview with Tenth Avenue North here.

We also talked with Mark Hall of Casting Crowns in 2008, when the band performed at the Franklin Graham Lowcountry Festival. Casting Crowns was named 2010 Artist of the Year by the GMA.

Congrats to all the winners!

Watch the 41st GMA Dove Awards only on GMC Sunday, April 25 at 8/7 c.

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