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On the heels of a successful year in the wake of his Gold-certified 2004 release Arriving, Chris Tomlin was showered with a whopping nine nominations for the upcoming 37th Annual GMA Music Awards.

In addition to nods for Artist and Male Vocalist of the Year, Tomlin's "Holy Is the Lord" and "How Great Is Our God" were both nominated for Song of the Year and Worship Song of the Year. Tomlin's other three nominations were for his participation in three of the year's Special Event Album nominees: Music Inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, WoW Christmas Green and Passion: How Great Is Our God. Tomlin's hit "Indescribable," another song off of Arriving, also drew recognition in both categories, though they don't count as nominations for Tomlin since the song was written by Laura Story.

Meanwhile, David Crowder Band drew six nominations, suggesting a strong turnout for modern worship music at the awards ceremony. Pop vocalists Natalie Grant and Joy Williams, as well as rock band Relient K, were also recognized with six nominations each.

Joining Tomlin as nominees for Artist of the Year are Grant, Jeremy Camp, Casting Crowns, and Switchfoot. Male Vocalist nominees are Tomlin, Camp, Jason Crabb (Crabb Family), Mark Hall (Casting Crowns), and David Phelps, while Female Vocalist noms went to Williams, Natalie Grant, Bethany Dillon, Nichole Nordeman, and Amy Grant.

Group of the Year nominees BarlowGirl, Casting Crowns, David Crowder Band, Kutless, and MercyMe. Nominees for New Artist of the Year are The Afters, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Mat Kearney, Krystal Meyers, and Stellar Kart. (Shawn McDonald was originally nominated instead of Mat Kearney, but he was later declared ineligible since he had already released two albums in two years.)

Producer Brown Bannister is up for six album nominations, as well as Producer of the Year. Steven Curtis Chapman, who has won 49 Dove Awards in his career, could earn his 50th for his co-write of Casting Crowns' "Voice of Truth" or his participation in the Special Event Albums Music Inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and WoW Christmas Green.

Nominees were announced Wednesday by recording artists Kirk Franklin and Rebecca St. James. Both will also host the Awards show on April 5 at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Plans to televise the event at a later date are in the works.

For the complete list of nominees, go to www.gmamusicawards.com.

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