The 29th Annual GMA Dove Awards were held on April 23, 1998, recognizing accomplishments of musicians for the year 1997. The show was held in Nashville, Tennessee, at the Nashville Arena. Live coverage on The Nashville Network was hosted by John Tesh and Naomi Judd, with a one-hour pre-show hosted by Clarence Gilyard and Kathy Troccoli.
Results
Song of the Year
"On My Knees"; David Mullen, Nicole Coleman-Mullen, Michael Ochs (Seat of the Pants Music/Word Music (ASCAP), Ochsongs Music (BMI))
Songwriter of the Year
Steven Curtis Chapman
Male Vocalist of the Year
Steven Curtis Chapman
Female Vocalist of the Year
Crystal Lewis
Group of the Year
Jars of Clay
Artist of the Year
Rich Mullins
New Artist of the Year
Avalon
Producer of the Year
Brown Bannister
Southern Gospel Album of the Year
Light of the World; The Martins; Michael Sykes, Lari Gross; Spring Hill
Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
"Butterfly Kisses"; The Rock Cries Out; Tim Greene, Bob Carlisle, Randy Thomas; New Haven
Inspirational Album of the Year
Artist of My Soul; Sandi Patty; Robbie Buchanan; Word
Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year
"A Baby's Prayer"; Love and Mercy; Kathy Troccoli; Kathy Troccoli, Scott Brasher; Reunion
Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year
Behind the Eyes; Amy Grant; Keith Thomas, Wayne Kirkpatrick; Myrrh
Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year
"Let Us Pray"; Signs of Life; Steven Curtis Chapman; Steven Curtis Chapman; Sparrow
Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year (formerly Contemporary Black Gospel) Pray; Andrae Crouch; Andrae Crouch, Scott V. Smith; Qwest/Warner Bros.
Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year (formerly Contemporary Black Gospel) "Up Where I Belong"; BeBe & CeCe Winans – Greatest Hits; BeBe & CeCe Winans; Will Jennings, Jack Nitschi, Buffy Sainte Marie; Sparrow
Traditional Gospel Album of the Year (formerly Traditional Black Gospel) A Miracle in Harlem; Shirley Caesar; Bubba Smith, Shirley Caesar, Michael Mathis; Word Gospel
Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year (formerly Traditional Black Gospel) "I Go to the Rock"; The Preacher's Wife Soundtrack; Whitney Houston; Dottie Rambo; Arista
Urban Recorded Song of the Year
"Stomp"; God's Property; Kirk Franklin, George Clinton, Jr., Garry Shider, Walter Morrison; B'Rite Music
Country Album of the Year
Hymns from the Ryman; Gary Chapman; Gary Chapman; Word Nashville
Country Recorded Song of the Year
"The Gift"; The Best of Collin Raye – Direct Hits; Collin Raye, Jim Brickman; Tom Douglas, Jim Brickman; Word Nashville
Rock Album of the Year
Conspiracy No. 5; Third Day; Sam Taylor; Reunion
Rock Recorded Song of the Year
"Alien"; Conspiracy No. 5; Third Day; Mac Powell; Mark Lee, Tai Anderson, Brad Avery, David Carr; Reunion
Hard Music Album of the Year
Insufficient number of eligible entries
Hard Music Recorded Song of the Year
Insufficient number of eligible entries
Rap/Hip Hop Album
Revived; World Wide Message Tribe; Zarc Porter; Warner Alliance
Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song
"Jumping in the House of God"; Revived; World Wide Message Tribe; Andy Hawthorne, Zarc Porter, Lee Jackson, Justin Thomas; Warner Alliance
Modern Rock Album of the Year
Caedmon's Call; Caedmon's Call; Don McCollister; Warner Alliance
Modern Rock Recorded Song of the Year
"Some Kind of Zombie"; Some Kind of Zombie; The Single; Audio Adrenaline; Mark Stuart; Barry Blair, Will McGinniss, Bob Herdman; Forefront
Instrumental Album of the Year
Invention; Phil Keaggy, Wes King, Scott Dente'; R.S. Field; Sparrow
Praise and Worship Album of the Year
Petra Praise 2; We Need Jesus; Petra; John & Dino Elefante; Word
Children's Music Album of the Year
Sing Me to Sleep Daddy; Billy Gaines, Michael James, Phil Keaggy, Michael O'Brien, Guy Penrod, Peter Penrose, Angelo Petrucci, Michael W. Smith, Randy Stonehill, Wayne Watson; Nathan DiGesare; Brentwood Kids Co.
Musical of the Year
My Utmost for His Highest – A Worship Musical; Gary Rhodes, Claire Cloninger; Word Music