The nominations were announced at Gotham Hall in New York City and the event was attended by national and international media, as well as key music industry executives. Artists reading nominations this morning included CeCe Winans, Natasha Bedingfield, Big & Rich, Mariah Carey, Chad Kroeger (Nickelback), John Legend, Patti LaBelle, Carly Simon and Sway. The 48th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2006, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and once again will be broadcast live in high-definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on CBS from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

Topping the nominations, Mariah Carey, John Legend and Kanye West each earned eight. 50 Cent, Beyonc� Knowles and Stevie Wonder garnered six a piece. Missy Elliott, Alicia Keys, Bruce Springsteen, Gwen Stefani and U2 received five nods each, while Common, Destiny's Child, Foo Fighters, Gorillaz, Neptunes, Brad Paisley, Phil Tan, and Gretchen Wilson each earned four. 

Below is a listing of the GRAMMY Nominations in the Christian/Gospel categories:

Best Gospel Performance

*Be Blessed, Yolanda Adams, Track from: Day By Day; [Elektra/Atlantic]

*Looking For You; Kirk Franklin; [Fo Yo Soul Entertainment/Zomba Label Group]

*I Call You Faithful, Donnie McClurkin, [Verity Records]

*Lift Him Up, Hezekiah Walker & Love Fellowship Choir, [Verity Records/Zomba label group]

*Pray, CeCe Winans, Track from: Purified, [Puresprings Gospel/INO/Sony Urban Music/Epic]

Best Gospel Song

*Again I Say Rejoice, Israel Houghton & Aaron Lindsey, songwriters (Israel & New Breed), [Integrity Gospel; Publishers: Champions For Christ Music Publishing, Integrity's Pulse! Music, Sound Of The New Breed Publishing]

*Be Blessed, Yolanda Adams, James Harris III, Terry Lewis & James Q. Wright, songwriters (Yolanda Adams), Track from: Day By Day, [Elektra/Atlantic; Publishers: EMI April Music, Flyte Tyme Tunes, Jibranda Music Works, Minneapolis Guys Music, Jamyo Music]

*Heaven, Erica Campbell, Joi Campbell, Trecina Campbell & Warryn Campbell, songwriters (Mary Mary), Track from: Mary Mary, [Columbia; Publishers: EMI April Music, Wet Ink Red Music, That's Plum Song, It's Tea Tyme, Babooschka Worldwide Tunes, Gold Forever Music, Songs of Universal]

*Lift Him Up, Joeworn Martin, songwriter (Hezekiah Walker & Love Fellowship Choir), [Verity Records/Zomba Label Group; Publisher: J Swirv Entertainment]

*We Must Praise, James Moss, songwriter (J Moss), [GospoCentric Records; Publisher: Millenni-era Music]

Best Rock Gospel Album

*Until My Heart Caves In, Audio Adrenaline, [ForeFront Records]

*Higher Definition, The Cross Movement, [Cross Movement Records]

*Day Of Fire, Day Of Fire, [Essential Records]

*Truth Is Fallin' In Tha Streetz, Fresh I.E., [SOAR / Red Sea]

*Dichotomy B, Grits, [Gotee Records]

Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album

*Lifesong, Casting Crowns, [Beach Street/Reunion Records]

*All I Really Want For Christmas, Steven Curtis Chapman, [Sparrow Records]

*Redemption Songs, Jars Of Clay, [Essential Records]

*Hymns, Out Of Eden, [Gotee Records]

*Healing Rain, Michael W. Smith, [Reunion Records]

*Live Wire, Third Day, [Essential Records]

Best Southern, Country, Or Bluegrass Gospel Album

*Live At Brooklyn Tabernacle, The Crabb Family, [Daywind Music Group]

*Sing Their Family Gospel Favorites, Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers, [Dualtone Music Group]

*Rock Of Ages...Hymns & Faith, Amy Grant, [Word Records]

*Southern Meets Soul: An American Gospel Jubilee, The Jordanaires, The Light Crust Doughboys, Nokie Edwards & Larry "T-Byrd" Gordon, [Greenhaw Records]

*Common Thread, The Oak Ridge Boys, [Spring Hill Music Group]

Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album

*I Know The Truth, Shirley Caesar, [Shu-Bel Records / Artemis Gospel]

*Live From Houston ...The Rose Of Gospel, Dorinda Clark-Cole, [GospoCentric Records/Zomba Label Group]

*Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs, Donnie McClurkin, [Verity Records]

*Say The Name, Martha Munizzi, [Martha Munizzi Music/Integrity Music]

*Singing The Old Time Way, Bishop G.E. Patterson & Congregation, [Podium Records]

*Be Exalted, Marvin Sapp, [Verity Records]

Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album

*Day By Day, Yolanda Adams, [Elektra/Atlantic]

*Mary Mary, Mary Mary, [Columbia Records/ Sony Urban]

*The J Moss Project, J Moss, [GospoCentric Records]

*Dream, BeBe Winans, [Still Waters (A Hidden Beach Experience)/TMG]

*Purified, CeCe Winans, [Puresprings Gospel/INO/Sony Urban Music/Epic]

Best Gospel Choir Or Chorus Album

*I Speak Life, Donald Lawrence, choir director; Donald Lawrence & Company, [QuietWater/Verity /Zomba]

*Live At The Fellowship, John P Kee, choir director; VIP Mass Choir, [Verity Records]

*One Church, Kurt Carr, choir director; The Choir Of Life (Japan), The Choir Of Life (USA) & The Kurt Carr Singers, [GospoCentric Records]

*One Voice, Gladys Knight, choir director; Saints Unified Voices, [Many Roads Records]

*20/85 The Experience, Hezekiah Walker, choir director; The Love Fellowship Choir, [Verity Records/Zomba Label Group]