Local gospel singer gets Dove Award nomination

A local gospel singer is hitting a high note with one of the most recognized Christian music associations in the country. His musical talent may have him soaring towards a prestigious awards.

When you've been playing and singing gospel music as long as Gerald Wolfe has, it just gets in you. You can feel it all over, from your fingers to your toes. He started singing when he was three years old at a local radio station in Morristown, TN. By the time he was 17, Gerald began traveling on the road and joined a quartet group in Ohio.

In the early 90's he formed a group called "Greater Vision." The gospel singing trio has been going strong for 18 years, singing and playing what Gerald calls hand clapping gospel.

"It's just traditional church gospel music," he says. "The unique thing about gospel music is that it touches people in a way that no other music does. If a specific song touches you in a special way, that song will be special to you for as long as you live."

For Gerald, that song is "'Til the Storm Passes By."

"It was my mom's favorite song growing up, so I heard it a lot."

It's a song that's given him hope during hard times, but it's days like this when he is thankful to be on the mountain top. Weeks ago, while on the road with his gospel group, he got an email from his wife.

"It said, 'call me.'" "So I called and she told me that the record company had called."

His record company had called to tell him that he had been nominated for a Dove Award as male vocalist of the year. The Gospel Music Association Dove Awards are the most recognized Christian music awards in the country.

"Honestly I thought it was a joke," Gerald says.

That's because the other well known male vocalist nominees, Toby Mac and Chris Tomlin, are contemporary Christian artists. It's been decades since the GMA has nominated a gospel singer for the title.

"To think that there's some of those people in that organization that even listen to our kind of music enough to know that we're out here, that's a great honor," Gerald says.

The 39th annual GMA Dove Awards are April 23 at 7 p.m. They're at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville Tennessee. For more information on Gerald Wolfe and Greater Vision, visit www.greatervisionmusic.com.