Debbie Cochran Captures Four Nomination For The 2021 Josie Music Awards

2021 Marks Cochran’s Third Consecutive Year of Nominations Including a Previous Win at the 2020 Josie Music Awards for “Vocalist of the Year” (Christian/Gospel)

Country gospel singer Debbie Cochran was honored to receive four nominations for the 2021 Josie Music Awards when the nominees were announced earlier this week. Debbie is a nominee in the following categories:

• Album of the Year – Female – Debbie Cochran – Simplify, her latest country gospel album
• Vocalist of the Year – Christian/Gospel – Debbie Cochran
• Musical Event of the Year – My Son, a duet featuring Debbie Cochran & Gary Morris
• Song of the Year – Christian/Gospel/Inspirational – My Son, a duet performed by Debbie Cochran & Gary Morris (Written by Jon McElroy and Dottie Moore)

In addition, Kent Wells, Cochran’s producer for the last decade, is also nominated for “Music Producer of the Year” at the 2021 ceremony.

“There is a lump in my throat. I am so humbled and delighted to be among the nominees of the 2021 Josie Music Awards,” says Debbie Cochran. “Special thanks to Josie Passantino-Boone and Tinamarie Passantino for the celebration and support of independent artists. My heart is all over the lyrics on Simplify, the project nominated for ‘Album of the Year’. I share this moment with my wonderful producer and friend, Kent Wells, who is also a nominee this year in the ‘Music Producer of the Year’ category. It is an honor to be nominated in Christian/Gospel category for the ‘Vocalist of the Year’. My heart is full. Also, I was so blessed for the opportunity to record My Son with the legendary, award-winning country and Broadway star Gary Morris.The duet is nominated for the ‘Music Event of the Year’ and ‘Song of the Year’ – Christian/Gospel/Inspiration. I am looking forward to the Award Ceremony scheduled for September 17 and 18 in Pigeon Forge, TN. Congratulations to all the 2021 nominees.”

The Josie Music Awards are known for recognizing independent artists, songwriters, record labels, talent agencies, promotion companies, producers, engineers, management companies, press, music industry businesses, and more. Submissions must go through a lengthy review process conducted by a team of industry leaders to be considered for the official list of nominations. The Josie Music Awards were created to celebrate those in the independent music industry that work so hard every day and deserve to have a night of their own. Past Josie Music Awards have been held at Nissan Stadium, Gaylord Opryland Resort, and Dollywood Theme Park. The 7th Annual Josie Awards will be held at Country Tonite Theatre in Pigeon Forge, TN. on September 17 and 18, 2021 and feature a special performance by T. Graham Brown.

Debbie most recently released her latest country gospel project Simplify, a ten-track collection featuring a variety of acoustic country inspirational tracks all penned by Debbie. Available on Amazon, Apple Music,  Pandora, Spotify, YouTube and all additional major online retailers, Simplify marked a decade long partnership with producer Kent Wells guiding her projects across the Christian, Country and Holiday genres. Wells is the producer behind iconic projects for Dolly Parton.

“I have worked with Debbie for many years and continue to be amazed by her songwriting, sincerity of delivery and work ethic,” says Kent. “This Gospel project is particularly special and timely after the challenges we have all faced over the last year.” The album has receive great praise from the industry and media:

“Country Icon Debbie Cochran had many memories with her mom Carolyn, and on her recent album Simplify, she included a song about a tradition that she, her siblings and their mom bonded over: making blackberry jam. The back story of Debbie’s Blackberry Jam in her own words, honors that bond they all held so dear, and celebrates moms all over the world. Listen to the song that was inspired by jars of blackberry jam, and the love and hard work that went into making such a sweet delight.”
– The Country Note

“The album speaks about ‘simplifying’ our hearts by forgiving the hurts and bitterness inside it. With such simplicity comes a new sense of joy. Such a joy, like the rays of a sunshine after a rainy season, shines right through these songs.”
– Jubilee Cast

“As a newcomer to the voice of Debbie Cochran and the concept of ‘country gospel,’ I was pleasantly surprised at the easy delivery of her voice in a traditional country vein. All the tracks are authentic, but she really shines on the self-penned tune, Simplify. The upbeat rhythm makes the current forgiveness adage of ‘let it go’ sound as easy as throwing out the trash and putting our sins in the shredder. ‘Simplify your life’ is a great gospel message for all of us in these trying times.”
– Lynn Keesecker, former Christian Music Executive and General Manager of Word Records

To stay updated on Debbie Cochran, visit the following:

Website: debbiecochran.com
Facebook: facebook.com/DebbieCochranMusic
Link Tree: linktr.ee/DebbieCochran

About Debbie Cochran
With musical roots in Alabama, Texas and Arkansas (Cochran smiles as she claims, “three doses of southern drawl”), Debbie and her family would gather around the piano singing their original songs and beautiful harmonies. Those key based instruments opened the flood gates to a lifelong passion of instrumental and vocal discovery. Throughout her musical journey, Debbie learned to play the piano, mountain dulcimer, acoustic guitar and bass guitar while honing her talents as a songwriter.

Her style would be described as a golden gospel voice with traditional country undertones. Debbie anchors her sounds in her church reared impressionable years and her love of early Reba McEntire and Martina McBride tracks.

Debbie’s dream of writing and singing songs on the “Nashville Stage” gave her the courage to open the doors to recording her very first album with Kent Wells (Dolly Parton, Neal McCoy and Michael Peterson), who inspired the whole project with four simple, but prophetic words, “It’s Never Too Late,” which was the first of Debbie’s songs to garner radio airplay and also earned her the DisCovery Award given by Robert K. Oermann of Music Row Magazine. In 2020, Debbie would continue winning over the industry by capturing “Vocalist of the Year” in the Christian/Gospel category at the Josie Awards.

Before turning to the production ears of Kent Wells to guide her, the only outlet she had to share her music with the world was on a stage that her husband built in their hometown of Batesville, AR. When Debbie isn’t on stage, she spends her autumn years traveling the world with her husband in an RV. Debbie’s story and music is one that has spread smiles and serves as a testament to the vitality of the human spirit. She lives her lyrics every day that she steps in the studio, writes a new song or hits the lights center stage.