The influential South African Gospel Music Industry have their first ever awards, dubbed the SABC Crown Gospel Music Awards, which will be presented by cellphone giant Cell C at the International Convention Centre in Durban on 24 August 2008.

 

For this inaugural event, musicians who qualify are those who have released albums in the past five years.

The closing date for nominations is June 20, and entry forms are available at Cell C offices and stores and at the SABC, or they can be downloaded at www.cgma.co.za

Event organiser and former radio personality and Gospel Gold presenter, Zanele Mbokazi, says the event will be televised live on SABC. Mbokazi, who describes the event as the beginning of many good things to come, says: “It’s a big revolution in the history of gospel music. Its good that gospel musos have their own awards because the Samas never fully recognised them. Gospel music has different genres of its own and the Samas only have two or three categories for us".

 

Mbokazi says there are 25 awards up for grabs, including songs voted for by the public.

The event was launched last year and workshops were held in the Eastern Cape and Durban to assist gospel musicians understand the nature and workings of the awards.

 

More information at www.cgma.co.za