NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) _ Jars of Clay, Skillet, Jason Crabb and Matt Maher are up for six Dove Awards, while producer Wayne Haun leads all nominees with seven. The nominations were announced Thursday by the Gospel Music Association.
The 41st annual Dove Awards ceremony will be held April 21 at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

Jars of Clay, Skillet and Jason Crabb are artist of the year nominees, along with Casting Crowns, Francesca Battistelli, Mary Mary and TobyMac, the only previous winner nominated. Casting Crowns, a five-time winner of group of the year, has been nominated again along with Jars of Clay, Skillet, the Gaither Vocal Band, Hezekiah Walker & The Love Fellowship Crusade Choir, NEEDTOBREATHE and Tenth Avenue North, last year’s new artist award winner.

Natalie Grant returns in the female vocalist category, which she has won four times in a row, and 2009 male vocalist winner Brandon Heath is nominated for that award again.