CeCe Winans Wins 25th Dove Award, Including Artist of the Year: I'm 'Humbled'

 

For King and Country and writer and producer Jeff Pardo won three times, while CeCe Winans and Anne Wilson won twice during a historic night at the 53rd annual Dove Awards broadcast on TBN Friday.

Winans became the first Black female solo artist to win Artist of the Year, although it was far from her first Dove Award. Winans, who also won a Dove as co-writer for her hit single Believe For It (Song of the Year), has won 25 Dove Awards during her iconic career. She and her brother BeBe Winans won the first New Artist of the Year award in 1988.

When accepting her award for Artist of the Year, she sang To God Be the Glory.

Believe For It was the final song added to her new album, also titled Believe For It, she told media members after the show.

"We were about to end the record, as far as the songs, and [producer Kyle Lee] felt like … we still needed one more. But especially Kyle – I have to give him the credit," she said. "... I'm pretty honored and humbled to be a part of this song, to be part-writer of the song, just to be able to deliver it in a way that would re-energize the faith of God's people."

Believe For It, she said, includes a much-needed message for Christians.

"I felt like especially coming out of the pandemic, that we had to encourage people to keep believing and not to give up," she said. "People had experienced so much pain, had experienced so much loss. And so we wanted to challenge the church to continue to believe in God's Word, because if God said it, and we believe, it is done."

Wilson won New Artist of the Year and Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year. For King and Country won Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year, Short Form Music Video of the Year (Concept) and Long Form Video of the Year. Pardon won three awards, including Producer of the Year.

The complete list of winners follows:

ARTIST OF THE YEAR: CeCe Winans

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Anne Wilson

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR (Non-Artist): Jason Ingram

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR (Artist): Phil Wickham

SONG OF THE YEAR: Believe For It

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: Jeff Pardo

RAP/HIP-HOP RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR: King Jesus, KB, nobigdyl.

WORSHIP ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Hymn Of Heaven - Phil Wickham

INSPIRATIONAL RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR: God is Good - Francesca Battistelli

SOUTHERN GOSPEL RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR: My Feet Are On The Rock - Gaither Vocal Band

BLUEGRASS/COUNTRY/ROOTS RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR: In The Sweet By and By - Dolly Parton, ft. Larry Cordle, Carl Jackson, Jerry Salley, Bradley Walker

TRADITIONAL GOSPEL RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR: My Portion - Jekalyn Carr

SPANISH LANGUAGE RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR: Danzando - Gateway Worship Español, ft. Daniel Calveti, Becky Collazos, Christine D'Clario, Travy Joe, Josh Morales

BLUEGRASS/COUNTRY/ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR: God Is Real - The Sound

ROCK/CONTEMPORARY RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR: Higher Power - CROWDER, ft. Hulvey

GOSPEL WORSHIP RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR: Breathe - Maverick City Music, ft. DOE, Jonathan McReynolds, Chandler Moore

POP/CONTEMPORARY RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR: My Jesus - Anne Wilson

CONTEMPORARY GOSPEL RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR: Gotta Believe - Tasha Cobbs Leonard

WORSHIP RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR: Hymn of Heavens - Phil Wickham

RAP/HIP-HOP ALBUM OF THE YEAR: No Church In A While - Lecrae, 1K Phew

ROCK/CONTEMPORARY ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Into The Mystery – NEEDTOBREATHE

POP/CONTEMPORARY ALBUM OF THE YEAR: What Are We Waiting For - for KING & COUNTRY

INSPIRATIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Be Still & Know - Jordan Smith

SOUTHERN GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Keeping On - Ernie Haase & Signature Sound

CONTEMPORARY GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Clarity – DOE

TRADITIONAL GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Breakthrough: The Exodus (Live) - Ricky Dillard

GOSPEL WORSHIP ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Tribl Nights Atlanta - Tribl, Maverick City Music

SPANISH LANGUAGE ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Viviré - Marcos Witt

CHILDREN'S ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Getty Kids Hymnal - Hymns from Home - Keith & Kristyn Getty, ft. The Getty Girls

CHRISTMAS/SPECIAL EVENT ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Emmanuel: Christmas Songs Of Worship(Live) - Chris Tomlin

MUSICAL/CHORAL COLLECTION OF THE YEAR:Give Me Jesus

RECORDED MUSIC PACKAGING OF THE YEAR:  Canyon - Ellie Holcomb

USHORT FORM MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR(Concept): RELATE - for KING & COUNTRY

SHORT FORM MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR(PERFORMANCE): Fake It - Tauren Wells, ft. Aaron Cole

LONG FORM VIDEO OF THE YEAR: What Are We Waiting For? / The Worldwide Special - for KING & COUNTRY

INSPIRATIONAL FILM/SERIES OF THE YEAR: The Chosen