Sarah Kelly Nabs Grammy Nomination For Best Rock Gospel Album
CBN.com (Nashville, Tenn.) December 8th, 2004 – The Recording Academy has announced nominees for the upcoming 47th GRAMMY Awards with Gotee recording artist and worship leader Sarah Kelly receiving a nod in the “Best Rock Gospel Album” category with her Take Me Away album release. Kelly, who is the only new artist in the category, is joined by fellow nominees Skillet, Tait, Third Day, tobyMac, and the various artists project Holy Hip Hop Taking The Gospel To The Streets. She is also Gotee’s first ever new artist to be nominated for a GRAMMY. The 47th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be held on Sunday, Feb. 13, at Staples Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast live on CBS from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (EST/PST).
“I am so shocked and extremely humbled to be nominated in the same category with this group of artists that I greatly admire, “said Kelly. “This year has been a very special one for me, and Take Me Away is an album that will always have a special place in my heart because it’s so personal to me. It’s an honor to be recognized by the Recording Academy, especially as a brand new artist. It’s the biggest complement an artist could ever get. It’s something I never would have expected in a million years, and I am truly grateful.”
Kelly, who is currently on the 16-city “Rock The Halls” Christmas tour with Everyday Sunday and Paul Wright, also recently garnered a nomination by Worship Leader Magazine as a “2004 Breakthrough Artist” for their 4th Annual Praise Awards. The awards honor outstanding achievement in six key areas with the winners being selected by popular vote. Fellow nominees in the “Breakthrough Artist” category include Planetshakers, Robbie Seay Band, and Jason Morant with winners being announced in the March/April issue of Worship Leader Magazine. Kelly has also made the Songs 4 Worship “Top Worship Albums of 2004” list.
2005 will prove to be a year of high visibility for Kelly with her music being featured as part of Continental Airlines’ “In-Flight” radio station programming, as well as having music exclusives featured on Sony Connect. In addition, the national retail store Guitar Center will add her image to the "World’s Largest Outdoor Photo Exhibit,” a gallery found on the outside of 140 Guitar Center stores all around the country.
Sarah Kelly unveiled her debut album Take Me Away this past February and has merited the attention of industry and fans alike. Take Me Away grabbed the No. 12 spot on the “Top Christian Albums” Soundscan chart first week out by selling more than 4,100 units. This feat secured Kelly as the highest new artist debut in the 10-year history of Gotee Records. The single “Take Me Way” also landed a No. 6 spot on the radio charts. With an average of 150-200 tour dates a year, Kelly has shared the stage with acts including the Paul Colman Trio, as well as being an opener on the Fall 2004 Jars of Clay tour. Kelly was also featured on label mate Grits’ recent Dichotomy B album, as well as In The Name Of Love: Artists United For Africa alongside DC Talk member tobyMac on the remake of U2’s “Mysterious Ways.”
