[WhiteRob]

Honored this Sunday with his third career GRAMMY for Gold-selling Worship Again in the Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album category, Michael W. Smith also picked up two nominations from the Gospel Music Association this week in the coveted Artist of the Year category and in the Special Event Album category for his participation in the Next Door Savior project. Smith has received 40 Dove Awards to date.

“Well....I’ve been doing this a while and it is still always surprising to me,” noted Smith. “ I do appreciate the recognition but anybody that knows me knows that that isn’t what drives me to do what I do. I’m deeply appreciative and ultimately honored by being in the same group as the other artists nominated.”

Worship Again, Smith’s second collection of contemporary worship songs, released in October 2002 to wide acclaim among both Christian and general market circles, with Billboard noting the project “succeeds on all counts, deftly capturing the emotional essence of a powerful live event.”

His 17th audio recording, The Second Decade 1993-2003, released Oct. 7 to claim the No. 1 position on Nielsen SoundScan’s Christian and Christian/Mainstream Combined music sales charts. The album offers 13 hits from the past ten years and two new songs, including the record-setting radio single, “Signs.”

Smith recently supported The Second Decade release with the “Celebration Tour,” which offered fans an evening of hits from his unparalleled career and sold out 17 arenas, and the 15-date “Christmastime Tour,” with special guests Point of Grace and The Katinas.