Two LCC recording artists among 2014 Covenant Award nominees

The CREW and Jennifer Jade Kerr have both been nominated for the 2014 Covenant Awards.

CANADA – The Gospel Music Association of Canada (GMAC) has announced the nominations for the 2014 Covenant Awards, and two Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) recording artists are among the nominees. Jennifer Jade Kerr has been nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year, while the CREW has been nominated for Seasonal Album of the Year for their album “Consider Well… A Christmas Journey with the CREW.”

This is Kerr’s third nomination for the Covenant Awards in as many years. In 2013, she was also nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year, and in 2012 her album “Permission to Be Broken” was nominated for Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year. The same album saw Kerr nominated in the 2013 Western Canadian Music Awards as well, in the Spiritual Recording of the Year.

“I’m thrilled to be nominated for Female Vocalist again this year,” Kerr said. “A big part of me wondered if last year’s nomination was a fluke, but to be nominated again is helping me really believe it! I am so grateful for the vote of confidence from the GMAC. I truly feel called to share God’s love and life through song, and this kind of recognition gives me more juice to keep at it.”

Earlier this year, Kerr made the decision to pursue music full-time. She is currently in the midst of a Fall Tour through Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

This marks the CREW’s second Covenant Award nomination. Their first was in 2010, when their album “San Doigts” was nominated for Compilation Album of the Year. 2013 marked the group’s 25^th anniversary, an event they marked with a special anniversary tour. The quartet—composed of Gary Brucker, Joel Haberstock, Paul David Mercier, and Dave Lieffertz—originally formed in 1998 to lead music at LCC’s first national youth gathering. Two and half decades and ten albums later, they and offshoot organization CREW Ministries have become a fixture in LCC circles. Jennifer Jade Kerr herself spent a year touring with Saltwater, a CREW Ministries music team.

“As we were totally focused on the release of our “Star-Spangled Banner Across America” video on YouTube, it was a huge surprise to receive word of the nomination,” the CREW said. “We had kind of forgotten that this was a possibility! A lot of work went into recording our Christmas Album last year so it is very rewarding to be recognized; at the same time it is very humbling. We are constantly amazed at (and thankful for) what God has done through us these past 26 years, but considering how things suddenly seem to be coming together these past few days, we are especially excited to see where He is taking us next!”

One of the CREW’s most recent musical projects was “Is America Great?”—a 12 day trek across 33 American states, supported by fans through Indiegogo. Music videos of the group singing the American national anthem at 25 iconic American landmarks, accompanied by local tourists, has just been put online. A DVD of the journey is scheduled to be released in Spring 2015.

The 36^th annual Covenant Awards will take place November 13 in Vancouver, British Columbia. See the full list of nominees at GMAC’s website. For more information on Jennifer Jade Kerr, visit her website here. For more information on the CREW, visit their website here.

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