Christian Music Award winner from my town

School counselor wins Christian music award

By Rodney Shumake

Move over Ruben and Clay. Villa Rica High School counselor Doug Wright is getting a taste of the thrills that the `American Idols` have seen.
Wright, who writes and sings contemporary Christian songs at local churches, was the grand-prize winner of the Embassy Music Ultimate Talent Search last weekend at the Opryland Hotel and Resort in Nashville, Tenn.

The contest garnered more than 1,300 entries from across the country and with his winning song, `John, Jane, and All Things,` Wright scored a single song publishing contract and will share $50,000 in prizes.

He also will have his song recorded and distributed nationwide to Christian radio.

Wright has been writing songs since he was about 13 or 14 years old growing up in Asheville, N.C.

He`s written enough material that he has produced a CD, `Something Much Higher,` and a CD single, `The Words to Say,` which won a Billboard Songwriting Award in 1999.

His win in the competition surprised him because of the music industry`s focus on the young — and Wright`s been at his craft for years.

`The industry emphasizes youth now,` he said. `It`s like if you`re over 25, you`ll have a hard time breaking into it.`

Many contemporary Christian artists include ministries to spread the Gospel. And some critics say that the message is being lost or watered down in the process.

`That`s the main purpose of Christian music, is the ministry,` Wright said.