We did it! The 2017 K-LOVE Fan Awards is officially wrapped after the premiere of “Ignite Hope” in hundreds of theaters across the country on Tuesday night. It was a year of many firsts for the K-LOVE Fan Awards, none of which could ever top being able to bring this amazing experience to a new audience around the country. For those who were able to join us in Nashville or in theaters nationwide, thank you for joining with us to make this event such an amazing reality! If you made it to Nashville for the live event and then brought friends or family to the theaters, we are so happy to have you in the K-LOVE Fan Awards family. Before we start planning for 2018, let’s look back on some of the wonderful things that happened this year.
For the 5th annual K-LOVE Fan Awards, we once again returned to the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center for a weekend full of faith-filled entertainment. We had a packed house on Friday night as Danny Gokey, Lauren Daigle, Zach Williams, and MercyMe starting the weekend out right with a Kick-Off Concert we won’t soon forget. Fans also got their first look at this year’s Fan Zone where you could get inside a tour bus, take pictures with Matthew West on the red carpet, play games, buy merchandise, and so much more!
In what has become a Saturday morning tradition at the K-LOVE Fan Awards, fans, artists, and other personalities came out to take part in the Run for Love 5K benefitting the Hands and Feet Project. Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Bart Millard of MercyMe, Ben Calhoun from Citizen Way, and Mike Donehey of Tenth Avenue North were just some of the Christian celebrities to make an appearance.
After a day filled with autograph sessions by artists like Jeremy Camp, Finding Favour, and Mandisa, men’s and women’s events led by Jan Harrison and Matt Hammitt, and other great activities, it was time for the Songwriters Showcase. Steven Curtis Chapman kicked off the night with a few of his greatest hits before passing the stage on to other big acts like Francesca Battistelli, Aaron Shust, and Ryan Stevenson. We were thrilled to have Skillet perform for the first time at the K-LOVE Fan Awards, playing a stripped down version of their songs “Stars” and “Lions.”
Sunday kicked off with a bang as the K-LOVE Fan Awards worship service featured music from We Are Messengers and Big Daddy Weave before Levi Lusko delivered the morning’s sermon. It was an amazing weekend that allowed fans to see many of their favorite artists in person as well as watching a few newcomers like Jasmine Murray on the stage. There were engaging times of worship, moments of laughter and healing, and periods of spiritual development. All in all, there were over 1800 attendees who took part in the festivities on Friday and Saturday.
Taking place once more at the Grand Ole Opry House, the 2017 K-LOVE Fan Awards were hosted for the third time by Matthew West and Elisabeth Hasselbeck. One of the first things we learned during the show is that Matthew may or may not have been in an early 90’s boy band called 4 in the Fire with Jeremy Camp and Bart Millard of MercyMe. The only thing more exciting than the group’s dance moves is its creative songwriting skills. Check out a special “Inside the Music” episode here below.
On top of other skits and jokes, it was a night full of great music that created an atmosphere of worship that would be hard to top. There was an emotional moment with Big Daddy Weave as they were able to share the song that helped them heal as a group when bass player Jay Weaver had a medical emergency in 2016. Playing “The Lion and the Lamb,” and later winning Worship Song of the Year for the same song, the group set a powerful tone for the night.
In one of the night’s most powerful performances, Natalie Grant brought down the house with her popular song “King of the World” before transitioning to the classic hymn “‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus.” One Sonic Society’s “Great Are You Lord” and Jesus Culture’s “Fierce” also added to the night’s worshipful mood. MercyMe supplied the moving song “Even If” for another great moment at the K-LOVE Fan Awards.
The performances weren’t always so serious, though. Danny Gokey kicked off the show with an electric performance of his song “The Comeback” that featured around a dozen cheerleaders and some members of a marching band. Britt Nicole always knows how to bring some energy to the stage as well. Her rendition of “Be the Change” included dancers, spotlights, and of course the singer’s impressive vocal talents. Another great show came from the event’s closing act, for KING & COUNTRY. Long known for an energetic live show, the group ended the night with the songs “Priceless” (which won Song of the Year) and “O God Forgive Us.”
It wasn’t just a night for music as we also heard from Louie Giglio and Levi Lusko as they each shared a message of hope. Lusko also won the Book Impact award for his popular book “Through the Eyes of a Lion.” Ben Zobrist, the Chicago Cubs MVP of the World Series, took home the Sports Impact award. We also had a special partnership with Military Warriors Support Foundation where votes from the fans would unlock free houses for military families. We were so happy to be able to provide a mortgage-free home to two military families this year.
For those who attended the 2016 K-LOVE Fan Awards, you may remember a young girl named Brooke who was brought onstage and declared “The Prettiest Girl in the Room” by Matthew West. Matthew was able to visit Brooke’s family in a Philadelphia hospital with Elisabeth Hasselbeck. We chronicled their journey in the video below.
The 2017 K-LOVE Fan Awards was an a wonderful night that we hope the fans cherished as much as we did. It’s been a blessing to put on this great event for five years now and we hope to continue things for many more to come.
One of this year’s biggest changes was bringing the K-LOVE Fan Awards to select theaters across the country. By doing this, we were able to give a sneak peek to the fans who can’t make it to Nashville each year. Thank you so much for helping us to take this event to places we never would have imagined before. The fans are an irreplaceable component to this event that we always appreciate.
It was another wonderful year at the K-LOVE Fan Awards that we hope to build on in 2018. If you’ve never had the chance to join us for this amazing event, click on the link below to find out how you can be a part of the ultimate fan experience. And, one more time, here are the winners of the 2017 K-LOVE Fan Awards.
Artist of the Year - for KING & COUNTRY
Male Artist of the Year - Danny Gokey
Female Artist of the Year - Lauren Daigle
Group or Duo of the Year - for KING & COUNTRY
Song of the Year - “Priceless” - for KING & COUNTRY
Worship Song of the Year - “The Lion and the Lamb” - Big Daddy Weave
Breakout Single - “Chain Breaker” - Zach Williams
Film/TV Impact - “The Case for Christ”
Book Impact - “Through the Eyes of a Lion” - Levi Lusko
Sports Impact - Ben Zobrist
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