Top-5 Finalists Announced for 21st Annual Inspirational Country Music Awards (ICMs) To Be held October 22 in Music City

Sep 22, 2015 12:16 PM EDT

The Inspirational Country Music Association is pleased to announce the top-5 finalist for the 21st Annual Inspirational Faith, Family & Country Awardsto be held at Cornerstone Nashville (726 W. Old Hickory Blvd., Madison, Tenn.) on Thursday, October 22 at 7:00 P.M. Each year, the awards honor and showcase the biggest names and emerging talent among artists who perform Inspirational and Christian Country music. This year's finalists include such notables as Rhonda Vincent, Hunter Hayes, RaeLynn, Joey + Rory, Craig Wayne Boyd, Mary James, Laura Dodd, Kristina Craig & Exit 148, Chonda Pierce and more.Tommy Brandt leads the nominations with four nods. His son,Tommy Brandt II, is also nominated for the Youth in Music award, giving the Brandt family a total of five nominations, followed closed by the McDougal family, who garned four nods in various categories. For more information on the ICMs, please visitwww.faithfamilycountry.com.

This year's awards show will be emceed by TCT Networks' Melanie Walker, host of "Come On In with Melanie Walker" and the "Sessions" concert series. Walker is a multi-award winning Christian recording artist, television host, speaker and author. She is a two-time ICM Female Vocalist.of the YearT. Graham Brown, Isaac Cole, Meghan Woods, True Heart, The Wacaster Family, Johnny Rowlett, Wade Hammond, and last year's Entertainer of the Year,Chuck Hancock will perform on the show, with more performances to be announced in the coming weeks. Past performers includeWynonna, Josh Turner, Collin Raye, Tracy Lawrence, Natalie Grant, Charlie Daniels, Andy Griggs, Lonestar, Jamie O'Neal, Linda Davis, Point of Grace and many more. The ICMs are additionally supported through the nationally-syndication inspirational, 2-hour radio show, Power Source Country, now syndicated weekly in over100 markets nationwide through Westwood One

The Inspirational Country Music Award are held in conjunction with the annual ICM Faith, Family & CountryTM Week, which draws music fans to Music City every year and features the ICM Faith, Family and Country nightly showcases, a special Sunday night Honkytonkin' Jubilee, the Power Source #1 Party, Media Appreciation Luncheonmembership breakfast, seminars and much more. To purchase tickets for the conference or the awards show, clickHERE. For more information, please visitwww.faithfamilycountry.com.

2015 Inspirational Country Music Awards Top-5 Nominees:  
MAINSTREAM COUNTRY MALE ARTIST Hunter Hayes Jeff Bates John Berry Josh Turner T. Graham Brown
MAINSTREAM COUNTRY FEMALE ARTIST Carrie Underwood Maddie & Tae Martina McBride RaeLynn Trisha Yearwood
MAINSTREAM COUNTRY DUO OR GROUP Joey + Rory Lady Antebellum Lonestar Oak Ridge Boys The Swon Brothers
MAINSTREAM INSPIRATIONAL COUNTRY SONG "God Made Girls" - RaeLynn "Something In The Water" - Carrie Underwood "The Old Rugged Cross" - Craig Wayne Boyd "Pray for You" - The Swon Brothers"Riser" - Dierks Bentley
INSPIRATIONAL RADIO STATION/NETWORK Cross Country Radio - CBNHLE Radio KEYE 1400 AM/FM 93.7 - Perryton, TXKQTY 106.7 FM - Borger, TXSpirit Country Radio
INSPIRATIONAL RADIO PERSONALITY Hunter Logan JR Pitsenbarger Marty Smith Rich Miller Robby Lynn
INSPIRATIONAL TELEVISION NETWORK Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) Daystar Television Network Hallmark Channel RFD TVTCT Network
INSPIRATIONAL BLUEGRASS ARTIST Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver Rhonda Vincent Ricky Skaggs The Isaacs The Roys
FAITH, FAMILY & COUNTRY MOVIE Confessions of a Prodigal Son - Lighting DarkDo You Believe? - Pure Flix Entertainmen tHoovey - Brookwell-McNamara Entertainment The Song - One Media/Samuel Goldwyn Films When The Game Stands Tall - Sony Pictures Entertainment
INSPIRATIONAL ENTERTAINER Greg McDougal & Family Jayc Harold Band Kali Rose Steve Richard Tommy Brandt
INSPIRATIONAL MALE VOCALIST Chuck Hancock Greg McDougal Russ Murphy Tommy Brandt Wade Hammond
INSPIRATIONAL FEMALE VOCALIST Cherie Brennan Kali Rose Larissa Laura Dodd Mary James
INSPIRATIONAL VOCAL DUO and/or VOCAL PERFORMANCE Bruce & Betsy Mullen Gary Dean Heisey with Gene Higgins Steve Richard & Laura Dodd T. Graham Brown & Vince Gill True Heart
INSPIRATIONAL COUNTRY VOCAL GROUP OR BAND Branded Canton Junction Jayc Harold Band Kristina Craig & Exit 148 Wacaster Family
INSPIRATIONAL COUNTRY SONG "At The End" - Mike Rimmey "I Know He Hears Me" - Steve Richard & Laura Dodd "Jesus Broke That Bottle" - Chuck Hancock "No Wound Too Deep" - Mary James "He'll Take Care Of You" - T. Graham Brown & Vince Gill
INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC VIDEO "Broken" - Tommy Brandt "God Made Girls" - RaeLynn "Pray for You" - The Swon Brothers "Something In The Water" - Carrie Underwood "True Believers" - Darius Rucker
INSPIRATIONAL SONGWRITER* Cherie Brennan Chuck Hancock Corey Lee Barker Joe Loftus Mike Rimmey Russ Murphy* a tie in this category created six nominees
INSPIRATIONAL NEW ARTIST Alan Turner Arkin Terrell Jayne Carter Joy Roberts Meghan Woods
INSPIRATIONAL YOUTH IN MUSIC AWARD Isaac Cole McDougal Kids Meghan Woods Taylon Hope Tommy Brandt II
INSPIRATIONAL MUSICIAN Dennis Agajanian Greg McDougal Isaac Jayce Harold Travis Wetzel
INSPIRATIONAL COMEDIAN Chonda Pierce Kenny Lee Robinson aka Cornbread the Comic Ray Stevens T. Bubba Bechtol Tim Hawkins
INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC EVANGELIST Dennis Agajanian Mary James Mo Howard Russ Murphy Tommy Brandt
LIVING LEGEND Recipient has already been determined
For additional updates, get social with the ICM Faith, Family and Country Conference and Awards by liking them at www.facebook.com/faithfamilycountry or by following them at https://twitter.com/ICMAwards.